Cowboys Free Agency: Not Signing Leighton Vander Esch & Donovan Wilson?
The Dallas Cowboys have many pressing issues to deal with this offseason, with Ezekiel Elliott's future and Dak Prescott's impending extension.
But. …
Two moves that may have been cast aside but could be similarly important are the situations surrounding the defensive duo of Leighton Vander Esch and Donovan Wilson.
Linebacker Vander Esch and safety Wilson are set to hit the free agency market, and the word coming out of The Star regarding the contract status isn't great.
Sources confirmed to CowboysSi.com that with Vander Esch, there is no progress being made on a new deal (via the Fort Worth Star-Telegram) … though it’s easy to argue a handsome new deal is deserved based on last season's production.
As for Wilson, much like Vander Esch, there is limited movement regarding a new deal, as both are set to hit the market on March 15.
But are the Cowboys missing the boat with two of the better performers on coordinator Dan Quinn's defense last year?
Vander Esch was playing on a one-year, $2 million deal and outperformed that. Is he now an $8 million a year linebacker? The "Wolf Hunter" finished the year with 90 combined tackles (second only to Wilson), had four tackles for loss and a sack.
But his best efforts don't show on the stat sheet, as he marshaled the defense well for the majority of the year.
While Damone Clark showed promise, he is hardly a proven starter. Add in that veteran Anthony Barr seems unlikely to return, and suddenly the linebacker's core needs to be stronger.
Could Luke Gifford or Jabril Cox make the jump to being starters this offseason? That surely won't fill Cowboy Nation with too much optimism.
Now for Wilson.
Quinn regularly used him as a blitzing safety to devastating effect as he totaled five sacks, led the team in combined tackles (101), and had two forced fumbles.
Wilson's salary last year was $965,000, and we imagine that to bump up extensively. Could Dallas offer Wilson what Jayron Kearse currently makes - $5 million a season?
There is some serious salary cap massaging to be done by the Cowboys' front office. And right now? It seems this Dallas defensive duo is about to feel the squeeze.
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