3 Cowboys impending free agents who need to be brought back

Stephon Gilmore is worth re-signing for the Cowboys

Last season, the Cowboys secondary finished seventh in the NFL in yards per attempt allowed, with Dallas ranking fifth in both yards and points surrendered. Dan Quinn and the defense fell apart at the end of the season, but there were positives throughout the campaign before the late collapse -- and key members of the secondary were at the heart of some of those successes.

Stephon Gilmore has been one of the NFL's elite cornerbacks over the years, pretty much ever since he entered the league in 2012 as the Buffalo Bills 10th overall pick out of South Carolina. A lockdown corner, the 34-year-old also had a strong 2023 season, finishing second on the team behind interception-maven DaRon Bland with 13 passes defended.

Although Gilmore is technically declining as a 34-year-old cornerback, bringing him back in the fold on a one-year deal would be wise. The Cowboys shouldn't lose quality pieces to a defense that, if anything, needs an upgrade or two. Weakening the cornerback position in the modern NFL is a risk that isn't worth taking, especially with a player as proven as Gilmore. He's a known commodity, as the Cowboys can rest assure that they will be getting a reliable contribution from him in 2024. Like Tyron Smith, the main knock against Gilmore is age, which is an insufficient reason to avoid re-signing an affordable player.