With free agency starting March 10, it is time to break down the Dallas Cowboys' needs and wants. Teams can start talking with players on Saturday.

Linebacker

What they have: Sean Lee ($2.5 million base salary), Anthony Hitchens ($510,000), Kyle Wilber ($660,000), Cameron Lawrence ($585,000), Dekoda Watson ($745,000), Keith Smith ($510,000), Troy Davis ($510,000), Keith Rivers ($870,000).

The position: Lee's return is a huge boost, but it does not offset the potential losses of Rolando McClain, Justin Durant and Bruce Carter in free agency. The Cowboys have to do something here before the draft just for numbers.

Getting Lee back, however, is big. If McClain returns, Lee would move to weak-side linebacker. If not, then he will remain at middle linebacker. Wherever Lee plays he will be a playmaker. But health will always be a question. He tore his anterior cruciate ligament last May in organized team activities and has yet to play a full season because of hamstring, wrist and neck injuries.

Hitchens proved to be one of the most valuable players the Cowboys had in 2014. He started games at all three linebacker spots and the coaches credited him with 100 tackles. He also showed a lot of toughness to play through a high ankle sprain.

Wilber has value as a spot starter at strong-side linebacker and can also play special teams. The remaining players are just role fillers at the moment. Rivers was signed on Wednesday and brings added depth and could officially spell the end for Carter, who will get more on the market than the Cowboys want to pay.

Best available: Sean Weatherspoon and Malcolm Smith. Weatherspoon has battled injuries, like Lee, but he is also a guy who has made a lot of plays.

Best Cowboys fit: Malcolm Smith was the MVP of Super Bowl XLVIII after returning an interception for a touchdown in the Seattle Seahawks’ victory. He is a bit of a projection because he has never been a full-time starter. But he has what the Cowboys want in their linebackers: athleticism and speed.

What they will do: Durant will be back on a short-term deal, which will make the coaches happy. He can fill any role on the defense and he excelled last year before getting hurt. Health is a major question. He hasn’t played more than 10 games in a season since 2012. Even if the Cowboys sign him, they have to bank on him missing a handful of games at least. McClain could also be back in part because of the four-game fine he is facing for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. The Cowboys have to view their linebackers almost the way a baseball team looks at their starting pitchers: They need at least six quality players to cover up when they have injuries.