The Dallas Cowboys have opened free agency with not much more than a whimper on the NFL's initial Monday of negotiating.
It turns out, they also got shunned by one particular free agent from the Philadelphia Eagles.
NFL insider Jane Slater reported Monday night that the Cowboys were in on Nakobe Dean, the linebacker from Philly.
Dean, though, chose the Las Vegas Raiders.
Slater wrote that it's because Dean "went with his gut feeling."
Here's her full details:
Just talked with someone close to the situation and apparently Dallas was actually very competitive in the Nakobe Dean market.
He was one of their 5 zooms allowed. I’m told their offer was similar to the Raiders but ultimately he went with his gut feeling but was told he could…
— Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) March 9, 2026
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That's not at all what you want to hear if you're a Cowboys fan.
Dallas wants to think of itself as a major franchise, and in some ways it is. But in others, the Cowboys end up on the short end of the straw.
Dean chose a team that is picking first in the NFL Draft, one that will have a rookie QB (albeit a promising one, presumably Fernando Mendoza).
There is so much more that goes into a decision, too, but the reality is that Dean could've chosen the Cowboys and picked the Raiders instead. That's not a great look for Dallas.
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