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By Max Dible
Contributing Sports Writer
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The Dallas Cowboys are playing out the string on another disappointing year, and owner Jerry Jones is already thinking about what's next for the roster this coming offseason.
Jones addressed his preliminary thoughts on free agency specifically during an appearance on "1053 The Fan" on Tuesday morning, Dec. 23.
"Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on @1053the fan on if he'll be active during free agency: 'I don't know. We'll see where we are with our own players,'" Jones said, per Jon Machota of The Athletic. "'I'll be active, but the question is the degree of activity. I can't imagine not doing things in free agency."'
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The Cowboys signed a number of players during the 2025 free agency period, though Jones' biggest and splashiest moves came via the trade market. Dallas sent the Pittsburgh Steelers a third-round pick in 2026 and a fifth/sixth-round pick swap in the upcoming draft in return for Pickens, who earned the first Pro Bowl honors of his career on Tuesday.
Pickens figures to be the top priority for the Cowboys this spring, as he is bound for free agency in March. Spotrac projects Pickens' market value at $123 million over a new four-year contract, which equates to nearly $31 million annually.
However, projections from other NFL analysts indicate that Pickens will negotiate hard and push for upwards of $35-$40 million per season on the strength of a career campaign during a contract season at the age of just 24 years old.
That type of investment in Pickens, along with the massive paychecks for fellow wideout CeeDee Lamb and quarterback Dak Prescott, is going to limit what Dallas can do on defense, where the team faces far more roster holes and longterm questions -- particularly following the trade of edge-rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers in late August.
The Cowboys' offense is ranked second overall through Week 16, while the defense is rated 30th in the league.
Read More: Dak Prescott Sends Strong Message About Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones
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