Cowboys rumors: 3 players who won't be back next year and who can replace them

Stephon Gilmore, CB; Replaced by: Sean Murphy-Bunting

The Cowboys would love to keep Stephon Gilmore on the roster for his veteran leadership and his ability to still play despite his age. Unfortunately, they have no money. Even if they pull some shenanigans with the salary cap (which is almost a guarantee at this point), they can't really spend much money on a position like cornerback.

The Cowboys already have DaRon Bland, who broke out in a huge way this season thanks to his pick-sixes, and Trevon Diggs returning from the knee injury he suffered last September. With two legit starters, Gilmore is the odd man out. He could stay as a third option, but there are younger options that still have an upside.

Former Bucs draft pick Sean Murphy-Bunting has dealt with injuries for most of his career, stunting his growth as a football player at this point. He's been decent at times, but he just can't stay healthy.

The Cowboys would give Murphy-Bunting a chance to take a load off and focus on playing well. He's had some good games, like the final game of the season where he intercepted Trevor Lawrence and deflected a pass to go along with eight tackles and a tackle for loss. He's a physical player that might excel in a third or fourth cornerback role when playing with amazing players to his left or right.