NFL Free Agency: Cowboys Done Shopping at Safety?
FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys have long needed stability at the safety position, but never really seem to address it with any big-splash free agents or high draft picks. Last year there was improvement there, and Dallas has chosen to keep the group intact for the most part.
One of the first moves the Cowboys made in free agency was overshadowed by the Amari Cooper trade and the Randy Gregory debacle. Dallas re-signed Malik Hooker to a two-year, $8 million contract. The Cowboys initially signed Hooker last offseason as he was coming off an Achilles tear while with Indianapolis.
Hooker didn't get a ton of playing time but he did improve as the season went on, enough to earn an offer from Dallas for 2022.
The Cowboys have also retained the services of Jayron Kearse, a standout from last year after coming over from Atlanta. Dallas took longer than expected to re-sign Kearse, but eventually inked the team's leading tackler from last year (92) to a two-year contract for $10 million.
Damonte Kazee was also part of the safety room last year but it appears the Cowboys will move on, as they've already re-issued his No. 18 to another player.
Donovan Wilson is still on the roster and under contract through 2022. The former sixth-round pick from Texas A&M struggled with injuries last season and appeared in only nine games, starting just three. But when he's healthy, he can be an impact player, which is what the Cowboys will expect him to be in his contract year.
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The Cowboys drafted Israel Mukuamu last year in the sixth round but he appeared in only four games, remaining inactive for most of the season.
What's interesting is that when asked about depth at the safety position, Cowboys VP Stephen Jones said they view Kearse as more of a linebacker. So that could mean they've got plans to add an additional pure safety.
Is it a high-priority need for the draft? No, so we very well may see Dallas utilize their picks somewhere else. Could they stand to upgrade somewhere if the right player fell in their laps? Sure. But we've seen the Cowboys ignore the position for so long that's probably unlikely.
What's more likely is Dallas waiting until after the draft to re-evaluate the position and if they feel they need depth, find a bargain-bin safety out there on the free-agent market.
