Locked On Cowboys – Cowboys Squad Show: First Look at NFL Free Agency

Episode Date: February 17, 2026

Hosts: Marcus Mosher, Landon McCool
Guests: Aisha Morrison, Glenn “Stretch” Smith, Jeff Biggs

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the Dallas Cowboys’ outlook ahead of the 2026 NFL free agency period. With less than a month to go, the crew discusses the Cowboys’ team-building strategy, potential moves in free agency, key players and contracts (including George Pickens, Terence Steele, TJ Bass, and Kenny Clark), possible draft approaches, and the overall state of the roster. The conversation is candid, loaded with analysis, and reflects a mix of cautious optimism and skepticism about the Cowboys’ front office.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Stage for Free Agency

• Opening excitement at the nearness of NFL free agency and the Combine.
• Realistic expectations for the Cowboys: focus will not be on high-priced stars, but starters in the $7–12M/year range (04:19).

Quote:

“They’re not going to be chasing the $25, $30 million a year players ... but I do think they could be in the market for guys that are getting paid like $7 to $12 million a year. And that’s where this class is really good.”
—Marcus Mosher (04:34)

• Important positions to target: Linebacker, cornerback, and safety.
• Free agency seen as crucial to supplementing areas where the Cowboys lack mid-round rookie picks.

Quote:

“Free agency is going to be important for positions like linebacker, corner ... get some veterans in here to kind of set the foundation for the team.”
—Aisha Morrison (05:24)

2. Draft Strategy, True First-Rounders, and Trade Potential

• Discussion of how many “true” first-round grades exist in this year’s draft.
  • Numbers range between 12–19 depending on sources—consensus is low top-tier depth (06:18–07:14).
• A “trade down” scenario is preferable if the Cowboys are picking 20th overall, with hope to recoup a 2nd or 3rd round pick and take advantage of the draft’s depth (07:49–08:51, 11:16).

Quote:

“If you can trade back a little bit and get back into the second round ... that’s what’s going to get me going a little bit.”
—Glenn Stret Smith (10:16)

• Expectation that a surplus of defensive talent, not offense, is a major theme of this year's draft.

Quote:

“It’s a good defensive class for sure ... the guy you’re gonna get at 15 is not going to be all that different than the guy you’re going to get at 42.”
—Marcus Mosher (10:04, 10:13)

• The combine could cause key prospects to rise unexpectedly, helping teams tempted to jump up for “workout warriors.”
• Wide receiver is a likely position where teams may get aggressive due to poor FA options (11:44).

3. Offensive Line Conversation

• The 2026 OL free agent class is weak, giving interior Cowboys linemen (e.g., TJ Bass, Terence Steele) potential value (15:14–17:50).
• TJ Bass: Possible trade interest due to value as a young, cheap starter-quality backup.

Quote:

“Rather than spending a third round pick on a guy that you have no idea can play, what if we give you a fourth and you give us back a six?”
—Marcus Mosher, on trading Bass (16:59)

• Terence Steele: Contract situation is “in flux”; Cowboys may want to rework his deal but risk losing him in a weak market.
• Evaluation of Steele’s play—effective in run game, up-and-down in pass protection, and questions about his long-term fit due to technique limitations (19:43–23:03).

4. Front Office, Coaching Staff, and Talent Evaluation

• Skepticism about the Cowboys’ ability to quickly overhaul the defense, given historically poor free agent signings and questionable trades (e.g., Kair Elam, Kenneth Murray, Jack Sanborn).
• Debate over how much input new coaches should have in free agency and draft decisions, referencing previous misses when coaches “stood on the table” for players (29:23–34:48).

Quote:

“How much are you really going to listen to somebody that’s been in your building a month? ... There’s a history of guys doing that.”
—Glenn Stret Smith (33:06)

• Marcus, Aisha, and Stretch agree that the Cowboys have identified defensive needs, but don't trust the personnel department to hit on solutions without meaningful change in strategy.

5. Approach to Free Agency and Cap Management

• The team can generate up to $60M+ in cap room by restructuring deals (Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, Tyler Smith).
• Big contract questions: Kenny Clark ($21M cap hit—worth the cost?), George Pickens (potential franchise/transition tag), Terence Steele (rework or move on?) (43:00–44:02).

Quote:

“Cap space isn’t going to be an issue ... The only big questions we have, Jeff, are what do they do with Kenny Clark ... Terence Steele ... and then how do they address George Pickens?”
—Marcus Mosher (43:00)

6. Linebacker Focus and Draft Outlook

• Strong prospects in college: Sonny Styles (Ohio State) and Arvell Reese (Ohio State)—both projected top-6 picks with “NFL ready” traits and positional stability (38:55–40:42).
• Consensus that Cowboys should pay for proven free agent linebackers to avoid further instability at the position (41:13–42:45).

Quote:

“You can get quality linebacker play without the learning curve.”—Marcus Mosher (41:20)
“I’m long over Dallas not having a steady Mike linebacker ... The turnover there is just not healthy for the position.”—Aisha Morrison (42:13)

7. George Pickens Saga – Tag, Trade, or Extension?

• Debate over whether Jerry Jones and agent David Mulugheta can negotiate an extension without drama (52:51).
• Tag possibilities: exclusive (no negotiation rights), non-exclusive (cost: two first-rounders), or transition (allows offer sheet from other teams).
• Likelihood is Pickens will get tagged as a placeholder, with extension negotiations ongoing. There's little market for teams to pay big and surrender draft picks, lowering the risk of losing him (52:59–56:35).

Quote:

“Maybe the best strategy is just let another team do it for you and then just match whatever deal is out there ... but it’s better than what we dealt with last year with Micah, where that’s just a dark cloud.”
—Marcus Mosher (53:13)

• Aisha and Marcus agree: Pickens’ leverage is not at Micah Parsons’ level—less risk of this becoming a protracted dispute.

Quote:

“He’s not Micah. He’s not ... He had one good year ... He doesn’t have the same leverage in negotiation.”
—Aisha Morrison (54:40)

8. Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On combine hype:
  “You’ll see guys ... get excited about guys in the combine ... a midnight raise. Like, guys would just jump up the board because somebody got excited at the combine.”
  —Glenn Stret Smith (10:16)

• Defensive build strategy:
  “If the Cowboys sit out those first couple waves and they miss out ... it’s going to be really hard to improve this defense.”
  —Marcus Mosher (46:26)

• Locker room/character rumors for Pickens:
  “I don’t think this is the Cowboys trying to slam their player ... It wasn’t egregious ... he probably did miss a couple buses or meetings, but ... I don’t think it was ... to bring his price tag down.”
  —Marcus Mosher (56:41)

• On Cowboys’ history with extensions:
  “The best example honestly was Tyron Smith ... he wanted to be here. He liked being in Dallas. He liked the facility. He liked living here. He took a deal that was way under market.”
  —Marcus Mosher (59:49)

Timestamps for Notable Segments

| Topic/Segment | Timestamp | |-------------------------------------------------|------------| | Free agency landscape & Cowboys target market | 04:19–05:12| | Draft “true first-rounders” debate | 06:18–07:40| | Offensive lineman free agency & TJ Bass | 15:14–17:50| | Terence Steele contract & player evaluation | 19:02–23:03| | Cowboys’ free agency history, trust issues | 26:40–29:19| | Coaching input and draft misses | 33:06–34:48| | Cap space, Kenny Clark contract | 43:00–44:42| | Top draft LBs & need for a reliable Mike | 38:55–42:45| | Pickens contract extension, tag options | 52:51–56:35| | Locker room, agent concerns for Pickens | 56:35–59:41| | Cap flexibility, likely extension prediction | 61:30–62:48|

Conclusion

Tone & Takeaway:
The conversation is an energetic, insightful round-table, balancing both fan optimism (“they can get there!”) and pragmatic skepticism (“do we trust the process?”). While the Cowboys have flexibility and options, the hosts remain cautious about whether the front office can capitalize—particularly on defense. Key priorities emerge: fixing defensive personnel, making savvy mid-market free agent signings, and resolving George Pickens' future without unnecessary drama. The next month (Combine + start of free agency) will reveal much about Dallas’s direction and aggressiveness in building a possible contender for 2026.

Next Steps:

• Watch free agency’s first wave for Cowboys’ activity (especially LB, CB, DE).
• Track Pickens’ status for possible tag and negotiations.
• Monitor combine results for risers/fallers affecting Cowboys’ draft board.
• Listen for further insights on upcoming daily Locked On Cowboys shows from Marcus & Landon.