Cowboys midseason review: The best and worst free agent signing so far
The Dallas Cowboys are 5-3 at the midseason mark following a close, hard-fought loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 9. As a result, we're reviewing their season so far. You can find more articles in this series at the bottom of the post. In this one, we evaluate the best and worst free agent […]
The Dallas Cowboys are 5-3 at the midseason mark following a close, hard-fought loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 9. As a result, we're reviewing their season so far. You can find more articles in this series at the bottom of the post. In this one, we evaluate the best and worst free agent signings of the team so far.
Disclaimer: Cowboys' biggest additions were not free agent signings
I need to point out the obvious. This post centers on free agent pickups. The thing is the Cowboys don't do a lot of those. They did make two big additions in the offseason, however, by trading for WR Brandin Cooks and CB Stephon Gilmore.
You might be wondering who of these two has had the better season so far. The answer is clear.
While both have had strong performances this year, there's no question CB Stephon Gilmore has been the most impactful of the two. Following Trevon Diggs' season-ending injury, Gilmore's play has been even more relevant for Dallas.
Gilmore ranks in the top 20 of reception percentage allowed and has six forced incompletions, per PFF. That's tied for the 17th-most in the NFL out of 121 qualifying cornerbacks.
With that out of the way, now let's get to the free agents.
Best signing: OL Chuma Edoga
Another disclaimer (geez, get to the point, am I right?): Kicker Brandon Aubrey probably deserves this spot. But I picked him as my special teams midseason MVP and as my biggest surprise of the year, so let's change it up.
Okay! Now we're here. Give me Chuma Edoga for the best free agent signing for Dallas. Things weren't looking fun for the veteran lineman in training camp when Micah Parsons was dragging him through the mud but Edoga has found his rhythm.
With Parsons putting him through hell in those summer practices, there were plenty of questions about Edoga's caliber. He sure has improved despite missing the preseason due to injury.
The Cowboys hope to don't have to play Chuma again but they know he can step up both at left guard and left tackle and not be a serious liability.
So far, Edoga has started three games at left tackle and two at left guard. For context on how he has played, he has a better PFF overall grade than right tackle Terence Steele does.
Worst signing: RB Ronald Jones
There's not a lot we can say about Jones. It didn't work out, as he received a two-game suspension and the Cowboys didn't even seem to consider keeping him once it came to an end.
No big deal. Dallas probably signed him in case one of their young backs didn't work out. But Rico Dowdle looks like a solid RB2 and Hunter Luepke is growing into a special teams ace for John Fassel.
More on the midseason mark for the Cowboys:
- The 3 Cowboys midseason MVPs (including an unlikely hero)
- The biggest surprise at the midseason mark
- The biggest disappointment amid 5-3 start
Cowboys: Micah Parsons claims Dak Prescott ‘outplayed everybody’
He didn’t hold back.
