Over the course of the offseason, some drama surrounded the Dallas Cowboys’ offense. Precisely, the offensive linemen Brock Hoffman and TJ Bass, and the topic of who to choose for a tender. The former gave the team more reps, versatility, and a proven record, to be almost essential at times. But with Jerry Jones still looking to get a return on investment on the latter amid enough interest from other teams, they put a second-rounder on Bass.

Did that mean they valued him more? Actually, the gambler in Jones is playing his hand again. But as the free agency continues, so does Jones’ promise to stay aggressive. However, with some additions come cuts. The first one off the list is the player who has protected Dak Prescott since the Cowboys signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2022.

Brock Hoffman signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers

Brock Hoffman had been tied closely to the Cowboys’ offensive line. In 2025, Hoffman logged 475 total offensive snaps, including 285 in pass block and 190 in the run game. During that stretch, he allowed 12 total pressures, four quarterback hits, one sack, and committed two penalties. The Cowboys’ perspective on Hoffman is tricky.

Even though they got enough return on the trust they put in Hoffman, Jones received more offers for Bass. As such, putting a second-round tender on Bass worth $5.76 million accomplished two things for Jones: First, if Bass continues to gain interest, Jones will likely get better compensation. Second, they already had a contingency plan in place.

After losing Hoffman, if the Cowboys also lose Bass, they have already signed Matt Hennessey. He combines qualities of both players, as he is a veteran capable of playing both center and guard. The Cowboys wanted that versatility in Dallas. Hoffman was one of the two offensive linemen that Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer openly said he wanted back for the 2026 season. T.J. Bass was the other.

But losing Bass via trade would at least give them good compensation in return. Hoffman, meanwhile, will reunite with his former coach in Pittsburgh.

The move had been building for a while. NFL insider Jordan Schultz had previously reported that Hoffman and the Steelers were nearing an agreement. At the time, Hoffman pushed back on those reports, as noted by Nick Harris of the Star-Telegram. Now, according to Steelers insider Mark Kaboly, Pittsburgh has signed Hoffman to a one-year deal for the 2026 season.

Hoffman reunites with Mike McCarthy in Pittsburgh, under whom he spent most of his career while playing for the Cowboys. During that stretch, he started 16 of the 54 games he appeared in. With the Steelers looking to strengthen their line, Hoffman now gets a fresh opportunity. And in many ways, it also marks a return to familiarity as he begins his next chapter under a coach who already knows his game. For the Cowboys, the hit on their defense continues.

Payton Turner signs with the conference rivals

The Cowboys’ signing of the former first-round bust was always considered a laughable move. For Payton Turner, availability has been the biggest issue throughout his career. The Cowboys realized it soon. He landed on injured reserve during the preseason with a rib injury and never appeared in a game for the team. Now, he has signed with the Detroit Lions. While the team knows his history, they are trying to look at three positive things here:

One, while Turner has had multiple cases of injuries, it has always been on a different body part: He only played 15 games across his first three seasons and dealt with multiple ankle, chest, elbow, shoulder, and toe issues. This means while his availability remains a concern, he, at least, doesn’t have the same lingering injury as the other players on the Lions roster.

Two, the Lions are expecting him to stand up to his draft projection and get a good value out of him. Back then, he profiled as an impressively sized (6-ft-6, 270 pounds) base 4-3 defensive end with a unique pass-rushing bend.

And the third, Detroit might expect a Charles Harris-like redemption arc from him. The once-discarded player found hope from the team in 2021 and succeeded by earning the starting role. However, Turner could very well turn into a Marcus Davenport-like reclamation project for the Lions, but with his injuries overpowering him, the potential was never unlocked.

Turner is closer to Davenport on this chart, but given the trust and help, he could help the team alongside Aidan Hutchinson on their aggressive defense. As far as the Cowboys are concerned, they neither won or lost anything in this free agency move. The terms of the deal are not disclosed yet. But Dallas’ ninth-ranked offense got another hit, which may or may not be good news.

Jalen Tolbert welcomes the new opportunity after leaving Dallas

Jalen Tolbert has, at times, proven himself useful for Prescott. For the duo, their end-zone catches have been something of a classic to follow as the receiver would free himself as he saw Prescott under pressure from the opposing defenses. However, while his performance improved in 2024, he failed to prove his worth last season.

One can argue that he could not put up numbers as he got the least targeted in 2025 after his rookie season. However, it is important to remember how many times he got the opportunity to show that he belonged in the equation when George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb got injured.

Now, he is leaving Dallas to step into a new situation with the Miami Dolphins. Initially, he was expected to complement the receiving group alongside Jaylen Waddle. But Miami’s decision to trade Waddle to the Denver Broncos as part of a roster overhaul quickly changed that outlook.

With both Waddle and Tyreek Hill now out, Tolbert suddenly finds himself in a much bigger role, after reportedly signing a one-year, $1.4 million deal.

“Obviously, all we ever can ask for is opportunity,” Tolbert noted. “I felt like this was the best opportunity and I’m excited about it.”

After finishing last season with 18 catches for 203 yards, Tolbert now joins a receiving room that includes new addition Tutu Atwell and Malik Washington, where he has a real chance to carve out meaningful snaps.

Meanwhile, Dallas will continue to look further into the free agency before the 2026 NFL Draft comes calling.