Which Cowboys departures will be missed most in Dallas?

Instead, they have allowed some major roster holes to develop as key players have fled to other teams in recent months. It’s only fair that we look at these moves, or non-moves, rather, to see which could hurt Dallas the most in 2025.

When you break it down, there are a few names that stand out as potential disasters for the Cowboys, so let’s take a look at them.

The Weak Get Weaker: Jourdan Lewis to Jacksonville

Jourdan Lewis, an eight-year Dallas veteran, was not the highest-paid Cowboys departure, but he is by far the most significant.

Playing in 32 games over the past two seasons and turning in a career-best year in 2024, Lewis became instrumental over time for the Dallas defense. His presence in the slot is hard to replicate, and it’s hard to see them doing it in 2025.

The Cowboys’ cornerback room has far more questions than answers, even with third-round pick Shavon Revel Jr coming to town.

He is still recovering from an ACL tear, former All-Pro Trevon Diggs is dealing with some serious injury concerns, DaRon Bland had a slew of health problems in 2024, and the depth behind all three is weak.

This is all to say that Lewis, as solid and reliable a corner as you can get, would be awfully nice to still have right now.

Unfortunately, the Jacksonville Jaguars gave him a three-year, $30M deal, and that was too much for the front office to handle. In reality, that’s a fair deal that will likely come back to bite them as the 2025 cornerback room gets sent to battle.

In-Division Loss: Chauncey Golston To New York

Perhaps the most underrated Cowboys departures come from the defensive line, as Chauncey Golston headed north to join the Giants.

As the 84th selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, Golston was often overshadowed by fellow draft class member, Micah Parsons, and veteran DeMarcus Lawrence, who also left town this offseason.

Despite his reputation as a depth piece, Golston gave the Dallas defense a tremendous boost in 2024.

With career highs in sacks, pressures, tackles, tackles for loss, quarterback hits, and starts, Golston became a legitimate force for the Cowboys, and just like that, he was gone.

https://twitter.com/PFF_Giants/status/1899302848883470716

New York jumped at the opportunity to get a young, versatile pass-rusher after a breakout season, while Dallas stood by and lost him despite his contract being just $12M in guaranteed money.

That should be pocket change for the Cowboys, especially considering their need on the defensive line, even with rookie second-round pick Donovan Ezeiruaku joining the fray.

Golston might just terrorize Dallas twice a year to make this loss even more painful.

Small Price, Big Loss: Rico Dowdle To Carolina

Dallas struggled at running back for nearly two full years before giving Rico Dowdle the full-time job.

What did he do when he gained that responsibility? He ran for over 1,000 yards in just 15 starts, reeled in nearly 40 receptions, and showcased the kind of potential the Cowboys have been desperate for.

Naturally, they let him walk to Charlotte for just $2.5M over one season with the Panthers.

Now, Dallas is relying on damaged veterans in Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders, and late-round rookies Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah.

For the record, I think Blue was a home-run draft pick, and he could legitimately blossom into something special. That said, Dowdle’s youth and proven production, for that low of a cost, should have been a no-brainer.

Instead, we’ll see him play for a fellow-NFC team as one of the key Cowboys departures of the off-season.

Who will step up with him gone? Now that’s something serious to watch for.