The first week of free agency has come and gone, and most of the difference making players are now off the market. The Cowboys had quite a busy week bringing in nine new players outside of the organization and re-signing 10 of their own unrestricted free agents. With names like Stefon Diggs, Rasul Douglas, and Asante Samuel Jr. still available to be signed, things could change for the Cowboys before the draft, but it sure sounds like the Cowboys are toning down their spending and shifting their focus to the draft.
With most of the tier one and tier two free agents finding new homes, we can now recalibrate our views on the Cowboys needs heading into the 2025 [NFL Draft](https://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft). Here are the Cowboys five biggest needs after the first week of free agency.
**5\. Defensive Tackle**
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The Cowboys quickly addressed the interior of the defensive line early in free agency re-signing Osa Odighizuwa to a team-friendly deal and signing Solomon Thomas to a two-year deal to serve as the backup 3-technique. While the 3-technique position is in decent shape heading into the draft, the Cowboys’ run defense is not.
Mazi Smith is still the only capable 1-technique on the Cowboys roster and that will need to be addressed in some way this offseason. As good as Odighizuwa is as a pass rusher, his issues defending the run are evident on tape and the same goes for Thomas. The Cowboys must improve their run defense before they get to Oxnard as that has been an issue for the team now for quite some time. There are still a few quality options available in free agency that could fill the run defense need, but it feels like they will look at the draft to bolster their one-technique position.
**4\. Running Back**
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The Cowboys decided to completely revamp their running back room heading into 2025. After allowing Rico Dowdle to walk in free agency, the Cowboys brought in both Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders in free agency to fill the hole leading up to the draft.
Both Williams and Sanders have starting experience in the league and have carved out quality seasons since coming into the league. With that being said, the Cowboys would be wise to find a true starter in the draft in a loaded running back class in 2025. The Cowboys did a nice job of covering themselves with the two signings via free agency, but leaning on Williams and Sanders to be difference makers at the running back position would be a mistake at this point in their careers.
**3\. Offensive Line**
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One of the more surprising things that happened this week in free agency was the Cowboys’ lack of additions to the offensive line in free agency. The Cowboys signed Robert Jones to a one-year deal earlier in the week and brought back Brock Hoffman as well, who could be in line to be the starter at right guard.
While the Cowboys could still upgrade the right guard hole created by the Zack Martin retirement earlier this month, the offensive tackle position is the one we should focus on most over the next two months. While the Cowboys have plenty of bodies on the depth chart, they have very little experience at the position they struggled mightily at in 2024. Tyler Guyton is heading into a big year two as the team’s starting left tackle and Terence Steele will still be looking to return to his 2021-2022 form.
**2\. Wide Receiver**
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The lack of reliable receiving options behind CeeDee Lamb is one of the most concerning aspects of the Cowboys roster as of today. The creativity of the Cowboys’ offense was a major issue in Mike McCarthy’s tenure, but the overall weapons after Amari Cooper trade was a major question mark every year. Jalen Tolbert has developed slower than anticipated after being drafted in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft.
With Tolbert slotted in as the Cowboys WR2, upgrades will be needed at the receiver position if we expect much different results from the Cowboys offense in 2025. The wide receiver group is one of the weaker position groups in this class, but there should be a handful of options available in the first and second round that could improve the Cowboys receiving corps over the next few years.
**1\. Cornerback**
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The Cowboys likely did not plan to lose Jourdan Lewis to the [Jacksonville Jaguars](https://www.bigcatcountry.com/). That loss put the Cowboys in a very bad spot at the cornerback spot heading into the draft. The Cowboys tried to put a band-aid on their cornerback hole with a trade for Kaiir Elam earlier in the week, but while the Elam trade provides depth, he should not be relied on as a starter with Trevon Diggs expected to miss some of the season.
Like the offensive line position, the Cowboys have plenty of bodies who can play the boundary cornerback spot, but not many guy with starting experience. That cannot be said about the nickel spot, where they currently just have Israel Mukuamu who has played the slot a little in his first four years in the NFL. The Cowboys desperately need to add at least one, maybe two starting-caliber cornerbacks between now and the end of the draft and one of them needs to be capable of playing in the slot from day one. As of now, the cornerback position is the one that is most concerning for the Cowboys.