NFL free agency is officially underway, and Cowboys fans are once again in the midst of a frustrating start to the offseason. Immediately after the negotiating period opened, the Cowboys lost veteran cornerback Jourdan Lewis to the Jaguars.

One of the longest-tenured Cowboys, Lewis had one of his best seasons in Dallas and remains one of the best nickel cornerbacks in the league.

The Cowboys haven’t made a significant move so far to address their needs. Considering the fact that Jerry Jones said he wasn’t looking to be too aggressive in free agency this season, Cowboys fans aren’t expecting a big splash.

The latest report from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, however, opened a door of hope for the fanbase. Fowler said that Charvarius Ward is a name to watch for the Cowboys.

The veteran cornerback, who spent the last three seasons with the 49ers, is arguably the best available free agent in his position now that DJ Reed is off the board.

Whether Jones would be willing to break the bank for Ward is another question. Earlier in the day, Reed signed a three-year, $48 million deal with the Detroit Lions. Considering the fact that Ward is the same age and a similar caliber of player as Reed, he would presumably warrant a deal in that ballpark.

Ward missed five games last season and saw a decline in his stats across the board. In his last healthy season in 2023, however, he made the Pro Bowl and All-Pro second team.

He was one of the most important players on one of the league’s most elite defensive units.

The Cowboys have DaRon Bland and Trevon Diggs on the outside and will look to fill the slot with Lewis’ departure.

Ward doesn’t have much experience there, so Bland would presumably move back to nickel like his rookie season if Ward were to join the team.