Chris Long was scheduled to have dinner with Cowboys coach Jason Garrett on Tuesday night.

He never made it.

The defensive end visited New England on Monday and left without a deal. But after New England traded Chandler Jones to Arizona for guard Jonathan Cooper, the Patriots did all they could to keep Long from making his visit to Dallas.

They were successful. Long announced on Twitter Tuesday evening that he had signed with New England. It's a one-year deal, a source confirmed.

The signing leaves the Cowboys in a serious bind at defensive end. Greg Hardy isn't expected to return. Randy Gregory is suspended for the first four games of the season, and DeMarcus Lawrence is coming off back surgery.

The fallback plan?

There isn't one. The position is so picked over at this point it could force the Cowboys to reassess their desire to keep Hardy.

The wound is too fresh to say whether that will happen. But the current questions at defensive end are so significant that it pushes the club ever closer to Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa at the No. 4 pick.

Even the most ardent fans have come to grips with what's taking place before their eyes.

The Cowboys won't make a big splash in free agency. The club has decided not to guarantee millions of dollars to players who have yet to make the Pro Bowl as so many teams around them have done.

That doesn't mean there isn't work to accomplish. Here's a list of what the club intends to do before owner Jerry Jones and executive vice president Stephen Jones leave for the NFL's annual meetings this weekend.

Will it all fall into place? Hard to say. The Cowboys had interest in cornerback Nolan Carroll, who visited Valley Ranch last week. He decided to stay in Philadelphia on a one-year deal for $2.36 million that can escalate to $3 million with incentives.

That's not much for a solid slot corner. It's clear the Cowboys are only willing to spend up to a point to address their roster in free agency.

With that in mind, here's the checklist:

One

Retain defensive lineman Jack Crawford, which is imperative now that Long has signed with New England.

The Cowboys have re-signed six of their own since free agency began one week ago. But the biggest piece of unfinished business is Crawford.

Crawford proved to be a solid member of the defensive line rotation. While not flashy, he plays hard at all times and is dependable. He finished with four sacks to rank fourth on the team and had 10 quarterback pressures.

Defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli sends his linemen at quarterbacks in waves. He relies on eight players every game. Crawford has earned his trust and can play inside and out. It would be a significant blow to the rotation if he's not back.

Two

Sign a veteran corner, then leverage Brandon Carr to take a pay cut.

A source confirmed that Cincinnati cornerback Leon Hall arrived in town Tuesday night to meet with coaches and staff at Valley Ranch. The visit was arranged after Carroll reached an agreement to remain with the Eagles.

Hall has spent all nine of his NFL seasons with the Bengals. He has started 105 games over the course of his career but has primarily settled into the role of a slot corner the last several seasons. He had two interceptions in 14 games last season, returning one for a touchdown, and 26 picks for his career.

He's 31.

The Cowboys interest in Carroll and now Hall is the first part of a plan that eventually leads to trying to persuade Carr to take a pay cut. If the club adds another corner in free agency to go with Orlando Scandrick and Morris Claiborne, it gives the Cowboys leverage in their efforts to lower Carr's salary.

Carr has a base salary of $9.1 million this season. Something in the range of $5 to $6 million would be reasonable. If Carr declines to take a cut for a second consecutive season, it appears he will be released.

With Long's unexpected signing, expect the Cowboys to sign Hall quickly if the club has serious interest.

Twitter: @DavidMooreDMN