National Football League

Cowboys reach agreement with free agent Doug Free to stay in Dallas

Published Mar. 7, 2015 11:08 a.m. ET

foxsports

IRVING - The Cowboys pledged to 'prioritize their own' in free agency and pledged to keep their dominant offensive line together. They have done so with the Saturday-morning agreement to a three-year deal with Doug Free, as Dallas COO Stephen Jones tells FOX Sports Southwest.

The agreement keeps one of the three best right tackles in free agency off the market and keeps together one of football's best O-lines.

Free is the "Big Daddy'' of the meeting room and to the Cowboys, just entering his prime at age 31. He's been a starter since 2009 and has been an iron man, missing just five games during that time -- all of them in 2014, when he was limited by foot and ankle problems.

Free underwent surgery on the ankle this offseason.

Jones tells FOX Sports Southwest this is a three-year contract with Free, who joins Pro Bowlers Smith, Frederick and Martin in the standout line, along with Ron Leary, who is also returning to the club.

This move lessens the likelihood of swing tackle Parnell returning to the Cowboys, but also frees Dallas up to further focus on "B.A.A.'' in the early rounds of the NFL Draft.

MORE FROM FOX SPORTS SOUTHWEST:

- Ranking NFL quarterback salaries

- College football's highest paid coaches in 2014

- Oldest player on every NBA team

- Highest paid player of each NBA team

- Ten reasons why we're glad baseball is back