Fansided

3 Cowboys who likely won’t be back with team in 2021

By Rucker Haringey

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 27: Andy Dalton #14 of the Dallas Cowboys looks to pass in the first half against the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium on December 27, 2020 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 27: Andy Dalton #14 of the Dallas Cowboys looks to pass in the first half against the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium on December 27, 2020 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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Sean Lee, Dallas Cowboys
Sean Lee  (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

2. Sean Lee

Injuries have taken a serious toll on Lee’s production in recent years and this season has been no different. The fact that Lee has only managed to play eight of his team’s 15 games on the current campaign makes it clear his time in Dallas is coming to a close.

Even if Lee projected to enjoy a more healthy season in 2021, it wouldn’t make sense for the Cowboys to spend serious money on a 34-year-old linebacker. There’s a strong chance Lee will opt for retirement rather than playing elsewhere.

The good news for the Cowboys is that they should be able to replace Lee’s production without spending serious draft capital or salary. He’s largely served as the team’s backup middle linebacker this year which is one of the cheapest positions to fill in the entire NFL. A late-round draft pick or an unheralded free agent should be able to fill in for Lee for a minimum contract.

Lee’s absence may well be felt more in the locker room. He’s served as an emotional leader for the Cowboys even when his body wasn’t able to permit him to make plays on the field. Don’t be surprised if Mike McCarthy finds room for Lee somewhere on the lower rungs of his coaching staff. He could provide Dallas more impact on the sidelines as a coach than on the field as a player in 2021.

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