It was tough to watch the Dallas Cowboys’ defense in 2025. They were one of the worst defenses in the NFL, and a lot of their issues stemmed from defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, who was fired after just one season.
Replacing him with Christian Parker, who joins the Cowboys with an impressive resume, will help, but they need more talent as well. They have two first-round picks that will help them improve, but team owner and general manager Jerry Jones has also said they will be aggressive in free agency.
His comments have some believing they will finally spend money on outside players this year, with ESPN’s Aaron Schatz predicting they will add All-Pro linebacker Devin Lloyd. During his fourth season in the league, Lloyd proved to be a playmaker with five interceptions, one of which he returned for a 99-yard touchdown.
“The Cowboys had one of the worst defenses in NFL history in 2025, according to my DVOA metric, and they are in desperate need of playmakers. So why not bring in Lloyd? He is a solid starting linebacker who had five interceptions and 1.5 sacks last season,” Schatz wrote.
A first-round pick out of Utah in 2022, Lloyd had more than 100 tackles in each of his first three seasons. He enters free agency with 436 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 26 pass deflections, and nine interceptions.
How much can Devin Lloyd command in free agency?
There’s no denying that Lloyd would be a huge help for Dallas. The 6-foot-3, 235-pounder was the third-highest rated linebacker, according to PFF. He had an overall grade of 89.1 and was equally effective against the run and the pass.
His versatility will make him one of the most sought-after players in free agency, leading to a potentially massive contract. Spotrac estimates he will break the bank with a three-year, $60.4 million deal. That’s an average of $20.1 million per season, which will be tough for the Cowboys to fit under the salary cap, even with their expected restructures.
Signing Lloyd would likely be the only move the Cowboys could pull off in free agency, should they go this route. That doesn’t mean they won’t kick the tires, and if his salary drops below $20 million, they could be interested in making a move.
