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Unlike last offseason, the Dallas Cowboys were much busier during the 2025 NFL Free Agency period. As it stands, Dallas has welcomed 10 new faces to its team, eight of which were signed, while the other two were acquired via trade. The Cowboys elected to go with short-term value, with eight different players agreeing to contracts of two years or less, while five of the overall acquisitions were former first-round selections.
Despite being more active in the open market, the Cowboys, ranked 18th in ESPN’s way-to-early power rankings in February, dropped three spots to 21st in the recent Post-Free Agency Rankings. The decline can be attributed to several factors, including insufficient financial investment in roster upgrades and a loss of key players as veterans DeMarcus Lawrence, Jourdan Lewis, and Brandin Cooks moved to other teams.
While the Cowboys’ free agency approach was a bit quieter compared to other teams, one player who gained attention as an under-the-radar move by ESPN Cowboys reporter Todd Archer was DT Solomon Thomas. The veteran was the only external signing to receive a contract beyond one year, agreeing to a two-year deal for $6 million earlier this month.
A former 2017 first-round pick, Thomas, who is entering his ninth season, has played for three teams over his first eight years: the San Francisco 49ers, the Las Vegas Raiders, and most recently, the New York Jets, where, as Archer noted, he played for new Cowboys’ defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton.
The connection to Whitecotton will help familiarize the defensive line room with the first-year assistant's system and desired techniques. Additionally, the move to bring in Thomas gives Dallas another vocal leader and mentor to younger players up front, most notably third-year DT Mazi Smith, who enters what could be a prove-it year for the Cowboys this season.
Thomas, who played high school football at Coppell High School in Coppell, TX, has recorded 212 tackles, 18.5 sacks, 72 QB pressures, and three forced fumbles in his NFL career.
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: ESPN Free Agency Power Rankings: Cowboys fall, Solomon Thomas' impact
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Despite being more active in the open market, the Cowboys, ranked 18th in ESPN’s way-to-early power rankings in February, dropped three spots to 21st in the recent Post-Free Agency Rankings. The decline can be attributed to several factors, including insufficient financial investment in roster upgrades and a loss of key players as veterans DeMarcus Lawrence, Jourdan Lewis, and Brandin Cooks moved to other teams.
While the Cowboys’ free agency approach was a bit quieter compared to other teams, one player who gained attention as an under-the-radar move by ESPN Cowboys reporter Todd Archer was DT Solomon Thomas. The veteran was the only external signing to receive a contract beyond one year, agreeing to a two-year deal for $6 million earlier this month.
A former 2017 first-round pick, Thomas, who is entering his ninth season, has played for three teams over his first eight years: the San Francisco 49ers, the Las Vegas Raiders, and most recently, the New York Jets, where, as Archer noted, he played for new Cowboys’ defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton.
The connection to Whitecotton will help familiarize the defensive line room with the first-year assistant's system and desired techniques. Additionally, the move to bring in Thomas gives Dallas another vocal leader and mentor to younger players up front, most notably third-year DT Mazi Smith, who enters what could be a prove-it year for the Cowboys this season.
Thomas, who played high school football at Coppell High School in Coppell, TX, has recorded 212 tackles, 18.5 sacks, 72 QB pressures, and three forced fumbles in his NFL career.
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: ESPN Free Agency Power Rankings: Cowboys fall, Solomon Thomas' impact
Continue reading...
