If we know one thing about the way the Dallas Cowboys do business, it's that they're not going to pay top dollar for big-name free agents. But we also know how much they value having great offensive linemen. In 2022, that could bring them to a crossroads.

There's no denying that a big part of the Cowboys' offensive decline in 2021 had to do with the blocking up front. Dallas will likely look at every possibility to upgrade the offensive line this offseason. Fortunately for Jerry Jones & Co., there seems to be a variety of ways to go about it.

The most likely of which is the Cowboys' preferred method of team building: the NFL Draft. The 2022 class features multiple, quality interior offensive linemen the Cowboys could take at 24, particularly guards.

Names like guard Kenyon Green (Texas A&M), Zion Johnson (Boston College), and center Tyler Linderbaum (Iowa) are just a few examples. Any of them would likely make the Dallas Cowboys feel significantly better about the offensive line.

There are also going to be options in free agency that could fit the Cowboys' free agency budget to fill the need they have at left guard. Laken Tomlinson (49ers) and Austin Corbett (Rams), among others, could be relatively cheap and serve as an upgrade over Connor Williams, who's unlikely to return to Dallas next season.

But could a unique opportunity to sign a top-tier center intrigue the front office to deviate from their usual offseason plan?

Could the Cowboys make a big move for the Bucs' Ryan Jensen?

Although center isn't as big of a need as left guard for the Cowboys, Jensen potentially becoming available is something the Dallas Cowboys would at least need to consider. The 30-year-old center hasn't missed a single start for the Bucs since they signed him in 2018.

He's a physical blocker that's able to shine when finishing his opponents in the run game and is one of the best pass blockers at the position as well. He could very well be in the conversation to be the best at his job in the NFL today.

While Tyler Biadasz can continue developing into a serviceable starter, signing Ryan Jensen could take the Cowboys' offensive line back to a 2014-2016 kind of dominance. We know how reluctant Dallas is to sign deals like this, but we also know they'd love to get back to those days.

Pro Football Focus projects Jensen will sign for $13M per year on a 3-year contract. That means the Cowboys would need to go heavy in their restructures to make this happen as they sit at $22M over the cap today. Restructuring several key players could get them to $30M under the cap. They could even get to $48M in cap space if they wanted to.

As for Jensen himself, it's unclear if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are intent on re-signing him. After Tom Brady's retirement, standout guard Ali Marpet also hung it up at 28 years of age. Both are unexpected developments that leave the Bucs in a dilemma.

Are they more pressured to sign Jensen to keep the OL as intact as possible? Or does the possibility for a rebuilding season makes them more likely to let their center hit free agency?

I believe it's unlikely the Dallas Cowboys end up getting Ryan Jensen because there's likely to be a bidding war for him if he becomes available. But if there's one unit that could cause the front office to spend money, it could very well be the offensive line.

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