4 former Cowboys players who are still surprisingly free agents
By Kristen Wong
3. Byron Jones
Safety Byron Jones spent the last three years on the Miami Dolphins, but prior to that, he played on the Cowboys for half a decade and started in nearly every game he played.
The 29-year-old was let go by the Dolphins three years into his five-year contract; he may have outstayed his welcome in Miami, yet many will remember the impact he left on the Cowboys all those years ago.
A former first-round pick by Dallas in 2015, Jones earned his first and only Pro Bowl three years later. From the beginning of his Cowboys tenure, Jones wasted no time becoming a reliable starter at the safety position, playing well enough to command a five-year, $82 million deal with the Dolphins in 2020.
After inking that contract, Jones started to decline due to injuries and ended up missing the entire 2022 season due to an Achilles injury.
He has since revealed something extremely alarming in a post on Twitter: he can no longer run or jump because of his past injuries. That drags his desirability down to the ground when it comes to potential suitors, yet it’s curious that he didn’t mention any plans for retirement.
The Dolphins cut him as a cap casualty this past offseason and Jones then shot himself in the foot with his latest truth-telling spiel. But just like with free agent Anthony Brown, if a team wants to boost its backfield depth, signing Jones to the veteran’s minimum could be a prudent move.