The Dallas Cowboys don’t exactly have a litany of big name free agents to consider going into this offseason, but three of their FAs-to-be have been good enough to make Pro Football Focus’s list of the Top 75 Free Agents of 2016.
Middle linebacker and comeback story Rolando McClain got the highest ranking, at 47th. Then came defensive ends Greg Hardy (56th) and Jeremy Mincey (73rd).
“2015 was somewhat of a disappointment for McClain, as he regressed in run defense in the few weeks following his return from suspension,” PFF writes. “He did play better down the stretch, and looked closer to his 2014 form, though.”
Hardy seems less likely to return than McClain, though Dez Bryant himself recently declared that he would love the controversial defensive end to come back to Dallas.
“Hardy played well in Dallas, just not to the level we saw prior to his suspension,” PFF says. “He could still be that great defender, but his off-field baggage may cause issues when trying to get a big contract.”
Then there’s Mincey, who led the team in sacks with six in 2014, but saw his production drop sharply with Hardy in town:
“Mincey’s playing time was cut down in 2015, and he had one of his least productive seasons with the arrival of Hardy. Prior to this past season, Mincey had earned above-average grades in five-straight seasons.”
