Dallas, TX
Top-3 Free Agents I Want the Dallas Cowboys to Retain
Dallas Cowboys fans were so adamant about this season being the best chance at a Super Bowl, and for good reason.
Dak Prescott was clearly the best passing quarterback in the NFC, and the teams with the best quarterbacks need to capitalize on that talent gap.
Unfortunately, the Cowboys could not capitalize, wilting at home to the 7th-seed Packers like Bluebonnets after a Texas frost.
One of the main reasons this was the year to strike is because of the list of players entering free agency.
The Cowboys have 16 players with expiring contracts, and many of them are key players for depth and rotation.
Today I’d like to play a little game.
Out of the 16 looming free agents, if we could only pick the top three we’d want to return, which three would they be?
Here are my top three.
LT Tyron Smith
Some of you may be rolling your eyes reading this one, but hear me out.
Would it shock you to find out that Tyron Smith earned 2nd-team All-Pro in 2023, marking the fifth time he’s been rewarded with that accolade?
It’s also the first time since 2016 that he’s earned that honor.
So what changed?
Mainly it’s been the fact that Dallas decided to give Tyron a veteran rest day from practice essentially the entire season.
This change in routine saved wear and tear on Tyron’s body so he could perform to the peak of his abilities when it mattered most, during games.
Tyron is getting a little long in the tooth, but he showed us this season he’s still capable of being an elite left tackle.
Tyler Smith also earned All-Pro honors this season playing left guard, and I’d prefer to leave him there instead of kicking him out to left tackle.
Bring Tyron back on a one-year deal and draft the left tackle of the future for him to mentor.

CB Stephon Gilmore
Another veteran who I’d like to see get another year in Dallas is CB Stephon Gilmore.
Gilmore played solid football in 2023 and was a much-needed veteran presence in a very young secondary room.
The former NFL Defensive Player of the Year did not earn the accolades this season, but he was a welcome addition to the defense.
This was especially evident when Dallas lost All-Pro CB Trevon Diggs to a torn ACL early in the season.
The Cowboys weren’t able to weather injuries to their cornerback room in 2022, and it was a big part of their exit from the playoffs.
Gilmore brings stability to one of the boundaries and will allow Diggs some time to make a full recovery from his torn ACL without a huge talent drop-off.
Maybe Gilmore will willing to accept a team-friendly deal to avoid moving to his fifth team in the past five years.
First-team All-Pro DaRon Bland could also use another year of tutoring from one of the best to ever lace up his cleats.

C Tyler Biadasz
This one is perhaps the most controversial of my picks, but despite Tyler Biadasz’s flaws as a run-blocker, I think it’s important to maintain continuity for Prescott.
It’s easy to underestimate the connection between the center and the quarterback but just think about the history.
Troy Aikman played his best football taking snaps from Mark Stepnoski.
Tony Romo had his most successful years with Travis Frederick in the middle of the line making the calls.
Say what you want about Biadasz, but he’s been that constant for Prescott since he was drafted in 2020.
He didn’t get the nod for 2023, but Biadasz is just one season removed from his first and only Pro Bowl appearance.
That one accolade might drive his price up a bit, but Dallas should be able to swing a three-year deal to keep Dak comfortable under center.
Dallas, TX
Anti-ICE protest outside Dallas City Hall follows deadly shooting in Minneapolis
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Dallas, TX
Dallas Weather: Changes on the way for North Texas
DALLAS – The warm and muggy weather will give way to much cooler temperatures in the Dallas-Fort Worth area over the next few days.
Thursday Forecast
According to the FOX 4 Weather team, rain chances return on Thursday as a disturbance moves through the Plains.
The best chance for showers and storms will be north of Interstate 20. There’s a marginal risk for severe storms for the areas northwest of DFW and along the Red River.
A southwest wind will also keep things very warm throughout the day. Expect highs to climb into the upper 70s to 80s. Wind gusts may reach as high as 25 to 30 mph.
Weekend Forecast
The next cold front swings through on Friday afternoon. Ahead of it, there are rain chances, especially southeast of DFW.
Behind this front, noticeably colder air moves in for the weekend. Expect lows in the 30s and afternoon highs in the 50s.
7-Day Forecast
A slow warm-up is expected heading into early next week.
The Source: The information in this story comes from FOX 4 Weather Meteorologist Ali Turiano’s weather report.
Dallas, TX
Live updates: Washington Capitals vs Dallas Stars at Capital One Arena
Justin Sourdif gave Capitals fans one of the most fun individual efforts of the season, recording five points and scoring his first career hat trick against the Anaheim Ducks on Monday. Sourdif had fantastic chemistry with Connor McMichael and Ryan Leonard in their first game together.
Now the question becomes – Can the Young Guns 2.0 keep it up against a usually-stingy, defensively stout Dallas Stars team?
With Tom Wilson and Aliaksei Protas out again due to injury, Brett Leason will make his season debut with the Capitals. Meanwhile, Dylan McIlrath will remain in the lineup.
The Stars come into on a six-game losing streak. Casey DeSmith will start in goal over Jake Oettinger while the Capitals will counter with Logan Thompson.
Puck drop for today’s game is scheduled for a little after 7:00 pm. The game’s national and on TNT.
I’m dedicating my work tonight to Callie. I love you, my sweet girl. 💔
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More Info
Lines
Washington Capitals
Beauvillier
Strome
Ovechkin
McMichael
Sourdif
Leonard
Dallas Stars
Duchene
Johnston
Rantanen
Tunnel shenanigans
1st Period
Puck is dropped. McMichael-Sourdif-Leonard and Fehervary-Carlson get the start.
Ilya Lyubushkin to the box for holding Jakob Chychrun at 2:44.
Stars’ Radek Faska goes 1 on 3 shorthanded and scores after Logan Thompson loses sight of a rebound. WHAT WAS THAT.
1-0 Dallas Stars
SHG: Radek Faksa (2). Assists: E. Lindell (14). Time: 3:06
Back to the power play and… Justin Sourdif gets tossed from the faceoff dot, starts screaming at the official, Connor McMichael comes in, says something, and he gets an unsportsmanlike doncut penalty, killing the rest of the team’s power play. You can tell Carbery is fuming.
The two teams are now playing four-on-four.
Puck bounces over Dylan Strome’s stick on a wide-open net down low after a great setup by John Carlson.
Stars are outshooting the Capitals 5-0, 5:30 into the first period.
Apparently Beck Malenstyn has returned to the Capitals because one of the commentators said he just made a play. Lmao. No one on the Capitals even wears no. 47.
Sam Steel ailing and holding his left arm after a big hit by Ethen Frank.
At intermission: The Stars lead 1-0. The Caps didn’t really do anything in the first period. They were there. They existed. But that was about it. Shots on goal are 10-8 Dallas.
2nd Period
Puck is dropped.
Ilya Lyubushkin and Brandon Duhaime throwing punches at each other after the play at 1:12. Lyubushkin is going down the tunnel due to a cut on his nose.
John Carlson… just watching a pass through the paint to his man, no stick lift or anything, just chillin.
2-0 Dallas Stars
Goal: Sam Steel (7). Assists: T. Harley (14), M. Duchene (6). Time: 2:37
Ryan Leonard fakes a dump-in and almost scores with a crazy shot to the far side from center ice.
Brandon Duhaime and Ilya Lyubushkin drop the gloves right off a faceoff at 12:53. Duhaime punches Lyubushkin about 5 times hard in the back of the helmet. Hope his knuckles are doing okay. The Caps crowd is finally into it, though.
Logan Thompson stops Roope Hintz on a two-on-none breakaway after Nic Dowd fails to get the puck deep. Caps look awful.
Mikko Rantanen slashes Justin Sourdif at 15:55. Caps going back to the power play.
At intermission: The Stars lead 2-0. Dallas leads in shots on goal 20 to 13.
3rd Period
Puck is dropped.
Anthony Beauvillier takes it hard to the net, and gets two opportunities but can’t whack the puck through.
Nic Dowd to the box for hooking at 4:57. The Caps look awful. Just listless. Can’t get anything going. A lot of standing around.
4 shots by the Stars on the power play. Thompson keeping the Caps close.
McMichael ices the puck at the end of the kill.
Caps have one shot on goal through the first 7:03 of the third period.
Jason Robertson rips one hard off the post. Thompson is flopping all over the place to keep the puck out.
McMichael and Duchene trade opportunities down the wing off the rush.
Beauvillier sends a horrible pass backwards to Matt Roy in the defensive zone, turnover to the Stars’ Steel, and Wyatt Johnston scores easily in front of the net. YIKES.
3-0 Dallas Stars
Goal: Wyatt Johnston (24). Assists: S. Steel (9). Time: 2:37
Caps pull Thompson with 2:26 remaining. Why not?
Alex Ovechkin scores his 915th career goal via a one-timer at the top of the left circle.
3-1 Dallas Stars
Goal: Alex Ovechkin (18). Assists: J. Carlson (23), J. Chychrun (17). Time: 17:41
Capitals pull Thompson again.
Timeout Washington with 1:20 remaining.
Comment below. Refresh for live updates during the game. The thread will be closed shortly after the game is completed.
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