The Dallas Cowboys haven’t made a major splash in free agency since they signed cornerback Brandon Carr on the opening day of the 2012 league year.

While free agent signings aren’t the only way to succeed in the NFL, the fact that more than ten years have passed since Dallas’ last significant signing, excluding in-house extensions, highlights why they haven’t advanced past the Divisional Round since 1995.

As expected, Jerry Jones has focused on smaller, low-risk deals since the legal tampering period began on Monday. This continued on day two when the team agreed to terms with defensive end Payton Turner, a former first-round pick of the Saints. Turner has been limited to 31 games in four seasons due to injuries and has struggled to produce when healthy.

While he’s an intriguing gamble with untapped potential, there are far more established pass rushers still available. One such player came off the market as the Turner news was breaking.

Falcons sign DE Leonard Floyd as Cowboys reach deal with Payton Turner The Falcons reportedly signed Leonard Floyd to a one-year, $10 million contract just hours after his release by the 49ers. The move reunites Floyd with head coach Raheem Morris, who was his defensive coordinator with the Rams for two seasons.

It is no surprise that Dallas passed on Floyd, but he’s exactly the kind of player this roster needs.

The Cowboys lost DE Chauncey Golston on the opening day of the legal tampering period. Golston, arguably a top-five player on the defense in 2024, signed a three-year, $19.5 million deal with the rival Giants. Additionally, it’s uncertain if DeMarcus Lawrence will return.

While Floyd may not be the run defender that Golston and Lawrence are, he would have provided needed pass-rush opposite Micah Parsons. The 32-year-old has recorded at least 8.5 sacks in each of the last five seasons, including a combined 20 over the past two years at ages 31 and 32, respectively. He also hasn’t missed a game in seven years, making him one of the most durable players at his position.

Despite this, Dallas opted for a project in Turner, whose two sacks last season with New Orleans were a career high.

As of now, the Cowboys’ defensive room consists of Parsons, Turner, former second-round pick Sam Williams (who’s recovering from a torn ACL and has been a situational pass-rusher), and Marshawn Kneeland, who is still developing as a pass-rusher.

There’s still plenty of time to add talent, including through the draft, but the contrast between Floyd and Turner’s moves within minutes of each other highlights the underwhelming efforts of this team to “improve” through free agency.