Grading Dallas Cowboys' Day 1 NFL Legal Tampering Haul

It was interesting to see the backlash directed at Jerry Jones after he traded for Rashan Gary from the Green Bay Packers. The main complaint was that Gary was likely to be cut and that Dallas could have just signed him.

The problem with that thinking is that the market for NFL pass rushers went through the roof. Gary is far more accomplished than someone like Boye Mafe, who just signed a deal worth $20 million per year. He has been more productive than Jaelan Phillips, who secured $30 million per season.

Gary is set to make $42 million over two seasons, which is a price the Cowboys were comfortable paying. He's not Maxx Crosby, but he doesn't have to be. He's a quality starter who makes the defense better, and more importantly, he's someone Christian Parker has worked with in the past and trusts.

As for the fourth-round pick, it's highly unlikely Jones just offered that up for no reason. There were surely other interested parties, and that was the price it took to ensure they didn't lose out to someone else in a bidding war. It was worth it, and there's likely no one the Cowboys would draft in the fourth round of the 2027 draft that would help as much as Gary will.

Cowboys agree to deal with safety Jalen Thompson

As much as the Rashan Gary trade will help the Cowboys, their best move on Day 1 was coming to terms with Jalen Thompson. A versatile safety who can play in the slot, Thompson is going to be a solid starter next to Malik Hooker.

His contract is also fair, with Thompson agreeing to a three-year, $33 million deal . He also has experience with the coaching staff, working with Ryan Smith who was the cornerbacks coach in Arizona before joining Dallas this offseason.

Bringing back Sam Williams

The final move from Day 1 for the Cowboys was agreeing to a one-year deal with Sam Williams. After seeing the EDGE market explode, Dallas decided to give Williams a one-year, $3 million "prove-it" deal. Williams could be an excellent fit as a stand-up linebacker in Parker's 3-4 and was worth bringing back at such a fair price.

Overall Grade: B+

The moves Dallas made were smart, and the only thing keeping this from an A is the lack of an addition at linebacker. The Cowboys did try to land Nakobe Dean, but were unsuccessful, with him agreeing to a deal with the Las Vegas Raiders.

That said, they were smart not to overpay for Dean given his injury history. Unfortunately, the options at linebacker are getting thin, but the Cowboys can still find adequate help.