3 free agents that fit Micah Parsons's wishlist for Cowboys defense upgrades

Free agent: Leonard Floyd

Back to the Buffalo Bills, now we look at Leonard Floyd, the only player on this list from free agency that might be able to fill that downhill linebacker call Parsons put into Jones's ear.

The eye test wasn't kind to Floyd last year, with him earning a 56.3 overall grade from Pro Football Focus in 2023 to follow up a far better 65.7 he received in 2022. The Bills, though, moved him to an EDGE role after he had spent his entire career in outside linebacker/straight-up linebacker roles before that rather than the hybrid EDGE role.

Statistically, Floyd was great, even in that new role. He nearly logged another 20 QB hit season and tied his career high of 10.5 sacks. His tackles were down, but keep in mind, his role shifted a bit.

Floyd projects to be another relatively affordable option at $8.1 million, the 22nd-highest in the outside linebacker role. It would be a slight raise from his $7 million salary with the Bills last season.

Cautiously, there may be reason to expect the Cowboys can't get him across the finish line at the price they might desire. Floyd signed with the Bills on a smaller deal last year and is reportedly expected to jump ship to find more money. He outwardly said after Buffalo's season ended he'd prefer to stay in Buffalo but is going to go wherever pays him the most.

While the Cowboys might be able to lure some players to sign on smaller pay scales by selling the dream of a title run, Floyd tried that with Buffalo last year and look where that got him.