FRISCO — The Dallas Cowboys experienced a major setback in the 2024 season with a 7-10 record, falling out of the NFC playoff picture for the first time in three seasons. Altogether, this season spoke to many failures of the team to build and maintain a contender through the Mike McCarthy era.

However, there has been one specialized category where Dallas has found more success than any team in recent seasons. The Cowboys have identified two special teams gems from the USFL, both turning into All-Pro players at the NFL level.

Brandon Aubrey joined the team during training camp in 2023 after two seasons with the Birmingham Stallions. Once a prayer for the Cowboys’ woeful kicking problems, Aubrey has morphed into a special teams icon at The Star.

KaVontae Turpin found a similar success story following a stint with the New Jersey Generals where he ended the 2022 season as the MVP in the USFL. He earned First Team All-Pro honors this past season for Dallas.

Focusing on the special teams speedster, Turpin not only showed his brilliance in that phase of the game but also in special situations on offense.

Perhaps he is not just a gadget player, but he is the sort of player all 32 NFL teams want to utilize in their offense. The Cowboys have experienced those benefits though they are at risk of losing him this offseason.

Turpin will be a restricted free agent and should draw significant interest when free agency opens. As FOX Sports notes, there could be a challenging financial decision for Dallas to make.

“Can the Cowboys afford to give him the second-round tender at $5.2 million — meaning if he left, that team would owe Dallas a second-round pick? If the Cowboys go with the lower tender, Turpin will get a compelling offer sheet from another team that Dallas might not be able to match.”

While the salary cap increase will help the Cowboys heading into the offseason, they still have work to do in creating enough space just to be players for potential free agents. If there is any intention to re-sign Turpin, Dallas likely needs to restructure Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb’s contracts.

Now should they want him back? Cowboys fans certainly would not mind the apparent upper hand he provides on special teams. But the need goes deeper than that.

Turpin will likely never develop into No. 1 or No. 2 receiver quality, but beyond Lamb, the Cowboys’ stable of offensive playmakers is essentially nonexistent.

Bringing Turpin back will not fix all the problems needing work on the Cowboys’ offense, but certainly qualifies as a difference-maker when he is on the field and someone the Cowboys do not want to prepare against themselves.