The biggest offseason decision for the Dallas Cowboys revolves around George Pickens. And maybe there’s evidence that Jerry Jones is willing to change on that, and other things. What that will mean for free agents remains to be seen. But here are three sneaky good free agents the Cowboys must sign in the 2026 offseason.
Coming off a 7-9-1 season, Brian Schottenheimer’s Cowboys have put together one of the NFL’s top offensive units. But they need the defense to be better this year.
And that’s where their free-agent search should begin.
Cowboys must sign LB Devin Bush
A seven-year veteran, Bush had a terrific rookie season with the Steelers. The 10th overall selection picked off two passes, defended four, and totaled 109 tackles.
However, he didn’t show as much over the next five seasons. Then in 2025 with the Browns, he cut loose with three picks, including NFL-leading totals with 164 return yards and two touchdowns. Also, Bush racked up 125 tackles and tied his career highs with two sacks and four quarterback hits.
Yes, all of those things sound interesting to a Cowboys defense that had little bark and no bite in 2025. One problem might be the contract. That big season last year might have made his salary demands too high for the Cowboys.
Pro Football Focus ranked him No. 8 on the free-agent big board.
“Bush produced just one 60.0-plus PFF grade from 2019 through 2023, but he has broken out over his two seasons with the Cleveland Browns,” PFF wrote. “He finished the 2025 season with an 87.6 PFF grade that ranked fourth among all linebackers, and his three interceptions tied for third at the position.”
The contract projection landed at $36 million over three years with $24 million guaranteed.
One thing Bush would like to do is get back to a winning organization, according to beaconjournal.com.
“Of course, losing is not fun in this league,” Bush said in the middle of the 2025 season. “We have a lot of football left. And we’ve just got to keep playing ball.”
Cowboys should sign edge Trey Hendrickson
It makes a lot of sense, of course. Numerous teams need Hendrickson. And others who would like to have him but can’t make it work. However, if the Cowboys can find a reasonable salary number, Hendrickson fits them perfectly for 2026.
The Cowboys are well-stocked for a run at the Super Bowl if they can get better on defense. A big part of the defense is getting to the quarterback with more consistency. Hendrickson, who had 35 total sacks in 2023-24, provides plenty of that need.
But here’s the real kicker for the Cowboys signing Hendrickson. Most teams will back off from him because of his age. At 31, he’s in line for a dropoff from past success. And 2025 showed that with only four sacks and eight quarterback hits in seven games.
However, age isn’t an issue for the Cowboys. They are primed to compete now, in 2026. If the Cowboys are going to win a Super Bowl, it will likely come over the next couple of years while quarterback Dak Prescott is still sizzling. Therefore, the Cowboys aren’t thinking long term.
And there seems to be little doubt Hendrickson will be out of Cincinnati in 2026, according to Sports Illustrated.
“I’d be pretty surprised if Hendrickson ended up back in Cincinnati next year,” Albert Breer wrote. “The Bengals gave him a big raise, up to $29 million last year, and only got seven games out of him. And there were real questions on how much he did to push through injuries. (Particularly when juxtaposed with how maniacal Joe Burrow was in trying to return from his toe injury ahead of schedule).”
Cowboys need to grab safety Reed Blankenship
This would be quite a deal. The Cowboys’ addition would force an Eagles subtraction.
Blankenship is a four-year veteran who has started 46 of the Eagles’ 51 gaames over the last three seasons. He has nine career interceptions. Plus, he added 3 tackles in 2025.
And there’s a connection that gives the Cowboys a leg up to get Blankenship. It’s his relationship with the Cowboys’ new defensive coordinator, Christian Parker, according to a post on Instagram by USA Today’s Madison Tenenbaum via Sports Illustrated.
“He [Parker] is obviously well known now,” Blankenship said. “He helped build our room, especially. And what he brings to the table coaching-wise and just as a person. I mean, he’s got it all. So, he’s going to do great regardless of where he’s at. But nah, he’s going to do great for sure.”
Blankenship might not provide the back-end toughness the Cowboys seek for their defense. But he would give them a nice ball-hawking player. And the Cowboys could use more threats, as they totaled only six interceptions in 17 games in 2025.
Plus, any steps forward on the defensive side of the football are going to make the Cowboys a tough team to deal with this coming season.
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