Jerry Jones under pressure to drop 17 Cowboys as Dallas prepares for all-in offseason reset

The Dallas Cowboys enter the 2026 offseason under severe pressure. They finished 7-9-1, missing the playoffs for a second straight season and extending their Super Bowl drought to 30 years. As of now, the team has 22 pending free agents, including 16 unrestricted ones. Sources around the league expect owner Jerry Jones to retain only a small core and release nearly 17 players to reset the roster.The urgency comes from both sides of the ball. Dak Prescott remains in his prime and threw for 4,552 yards and 30 touchdowns in 2025, keeping the offense among the NFL’s best. The defense, however, struggled, allowing close to 30 points per game, leading to the firing of defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. Dallas also recorded just 35 sacks, its lowest total since 2020.George Pickens and Javonte Williams stand out as players Dallas must retain. Pickens caught 93 passes for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns. Williams rushed for 1,201 yards and 11 TDs on 252 carries. Reporter Shane Taylor wrote on Jan 13, “On the offensive side of the ball, the two names that jump off right away that should be brought back are George Pickens and Javonte Williams. No questions asked. The next one who is more offensive, even though he is a special teams guy, is Brandon Aubrey, who is another no-brainer.”Kicker Brandon Aubrey scored 155 points, ranking third in the NFL. He made 85.7 percent of his field goals and 97.9 percent of extra points, providing reliability in a high-scoring offense.On defense, Jadeveon Clowney led with 8.5 sacks after joining Dallas in September 2025. Sam Williams showed progress as a rotational pass rusher, but the rest of the unit produced inconsistently. Big D needs upgrades at linebacker and cornerback, with draft picks and free agency likely filling those gaps.Jones spoke to reporters after the Week 18 loss to the Giants. “I think we can do some things to maybe make as dramatic a difference as we could have in a long time,” he said. The team is also over $34 million above the salary cap, making releases and restructures unavoidable.For Jones, the plan is clear: extend Pickens, keep Williams, and make major defensive moves. Standing still is not an option if Dallas wants to maximize Prescott’s prime and finally end its playoff drought.Also Read: I’ve got work to do”: Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones wants to retire with the most Super Bowls