Cowboys Called Eagles on Darius Slay Before Stephon Gilmore Trade?

FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys went shopping for cornerback help on Tuesday after trading for Stephon Gilmore in exchange for a fifth-round pick sent to the Indianapolis Colts.

But that wasn't the only name cornerback who served as a topic of conversation here inside The Star.

Gilmore, the 32-year-old veteran, comes to Dallas after signing a two-year deal with the Colts last offseason, which means the Cowboys are set to owe him $7.96 million. It is the type of big move that many fans were holding out hope for as the NFL's legal tampering period opened up on Monday.

But one way or another - CowboysSI.com reported earlier in the day that Dallas was setting its sights on a "faded-star cornerback'' - the Cowboys seemed intent on an upgrade alongside Trevon Diggs.

How so? Because Dallas also investigated the Philadelphia Eagles' situation regarding acquiring Darius Slay.

Gilmore will arrive in Dallas with a wealth of NFL experience and a reputation as a lockdown corner who will have the opportunity to mentor Trevon Diggs. Pair the trade with the re-signing of safety Donovan Wilson and Leighton Vander Esch and the Cowboys D looks a bit improved from a season ago when depth and injuries were a major issue.

After losing Jourdan Lewis and Anthony Brown to midseason injuries, Dallas was almost forced to acquire help via free agency. Despite the breakouts of DaRon Bland and Israel Mukuamu, finding a partner for Diggs still looked to be a pressing need.

They could've waited for the NFL Draft, of course. But the NFL Network and ESPN reports (which may have been more "in-house'' than offering the Eagles) on Slay, age 32, plus the action taken on Gilmore, age 32, should earn them credit from an impatient Cowboys Nation.

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