Cowboys Trade for Gary, Clear Salary, Boost Defense

0:00On March 17th, the Dallas Cowboys made a bold move on the first day of free agency by trading a 2027 4th round pick to the Green Bay. Packers for Pro Bowl ed rusher, Rashan Gary. To make it work, Gary took a big pay cut, signing on for $16 million a year over the next two seasons. The team smartly backloaded the deal with an option year and void years, dropping his cap hit to just $5.44 million in 20. $26.8.24 million in 2027. This gives Dallas crucial cap space, especially with a rookie class coming in 2026. Gary now teams up with Kenny Clark, another former packer the Cowboys grabbed last year, strengthening their defensive front. Meanwhile, the Cowboys traded defensive tackle, OSA, Odeezua, to the San Francisco 49ers just two days later. In return, they got a 2026 third round pick, clearing about $16 million in salary right away.

1:00The trades fit the new vision under 34-year-old defensive coordinator, Christian Parker, who's shifting the team to a 3-4 base defense. With Quinn and Williams and Clark anchoring the inside, they're building a unit that forces double teams and plays to their strengths. Expect more action as the 2026 draft nears, with extra picks targeted at linebackers for Parker's system. These changes have the Cowboys' defense looking younger, cheaper, short-term, and ready to contend.