The Dallas Cowboys will have a lot of decisions to make this offseason but few will be more important than deciding who to resign. The Cowboys will have several players about to hit free agency and several of them have been key role players for them for the last few seasons.
These decisions will likely dictate the Cowboys draft strategy as they will need to fill the holes free agency creates. The biggest position to be affected by free agency should be cornerback as Morris Claiborne and Brandon Carr are both slated to be free agents come the 2016 offseason.
Claiborne will be a bit easier to re-negotiate a deal with but after several injury prone seasons and a lack of consistency will the Cowboys feel the need to resign the former first round pick? Carr is almost a definite no, he will save the Cowboys around $11 million if he is released and that money could go a long way to signing a new cornerback or backup quarterback.
The Cowboys should be able to adjust Jason Witten's contract in order to create some more cap room and fill the holes that plagued this team in 2015. The second position with a lot riding on free agency is defensive end as Greg Hardy and Jeremy Mincey are both free agents. Mincey attempted to get a deal done earlier on in the season however the Cowboys did not budge. Mincey has expressed that he would like to return and that could be likely if Hardy is cut. Hardy likely to be released based off of how he affected the locker room, not to mention his lack of production on the field.
Hardy would disappear for quarters at a time during a game, it could have been the rust that had accumulated since his year long absence from football but that lack of consistency has to be concerning. It would be very shocking if the Cowboys got a long term deal done with Greg Hardy. The Cowboys will also have to decide on whether or not to resign Rolando McClain, who has shown flashes of brilliance, however is very inconsistent and hard to rely on.
The Cowboys will likely be looking for more consistent pass rushers and linebackers in the draft so we may already have our answer. The Cowboys must make sure they tread lightly throughout the most tumultuous time in the offseason.
