The Cowboys have gotten started in free agency. I know; that sounds a little late, doesn’t it? Before the stands at Lambeau cleared out after the Divisional round loss to Green Bay the internet began buzzing about Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray.
Brian touched on a few other free agents last week discussing the futures for Justin Durant, Bruce Carter and Rolando McClain, but the team has plenty of things to get done this year.
The Cowboys crossed linebacker Cameron Lawrence and defensive tackle Davon Coleman off their list this week.
Lawrence was an exclusive rights free agent signed to a minimal one year deal worth $585,000, and Coleman – who many have asked about since he was moved to the practice squad after an injury early in the season – is returning to Dallas after flashing his skills briefly during his rookie year. Davon Coleman joined a short list of rookies who started in their first year with his start week 1 against San Francisco.
The team also declined to pick up Henry Melton’s 3-year/$24 million contract option. The deadline for the Cowboys to pick up his option was Sunday, which lapsed uneventfully. Melton is now an unrestricted free agent, just as he was last year.
Henry Melton is known as a pass rushing specialist, so he’s likely to find a gig somewhere with the need around the NFL for role players, though missing out on the option with Dallas may have cost him $5-7 million for 2015. The Cowboys would’ve owed Melton $9 million for 2015.
