Seahawks Work Out Former Cowboys Safety Donovan Wilson With Familiar Connection

The Seattle Seahawks are kicking the tires on a safety with ties to defensive coordinator Aden Durde.

Dallas Cowboys safety Donovan Wilson prior to the game against the Atlanta Falcons at AT&T Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Seattle Seahawks aren't exactly desperate for depth at the safety position, especially with Julian Love, Ty Okada, Rodney Thomas, and Bud Clark all in line for big roles during the 2026 season. Still, that won't stop them from looking for more help during training camp, especially with Nick Emmanwori beginning the season on the PUP list following offseason ankle surgery.

On Wednesday, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that they will look for help by working out veteran safety Donovan Wilson. The 31-year-old Wilson was a sixth-round pick for the Dallas Cowboys, selected during the 2019 NFL draft. He has spent his entire seven-year career playing for the Cowboys, going from a late-round developmental player to eventually becoming a key piece of their secondary.

Wilson appeared in 98 games with the Cowboys, making 75 starts. He had impressive numbers with 444 tackles, 13 sacks, nine forced fumbles, and eight interceptions, including two this past season.

How would Donovan Wilson fit in Seattle?

Dallas Cowboys safety Donovan Wilson intercepts the ball against the New York Giants during overtime. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The question, however, is how Wilson fits in Seattle's defense. If the plan is for him to come in and help replace Emmanwori, they might be disappointed. Emmanwori was a defensive chess piece who spent most of his time playing in the slot.

Wilson, however, is more of a box safety. This past season, he had an impressive run-defense grade from PFF of 73.9. As for his coverage grade, Wilson was given a 38.6, which was 93rd out of 98 eligible safeties. His overall grade was a 50.6, which was 88th overall at the position.

Wilson is definitely a hard hitter, and does tend to make a couple of splash plays every year. That said, he was a liability in coverage for the Cowboys, making his workout an interesting development for a Seattle defense that was one of the best against the pass in 2025.

Donovan Wilson has ties to current Seahawks defensive coordinator

Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Should Wilson sign with Seattle, he wouldn't be the first former Dallas defender they added. In 2025, DeMarcus Lawrence was one of their top free agency additions. Lawrence had been with the Cowboys since 2014, after being selected in the second-round out of Boise State.

This offseason, they signed Dante Fowler Jr., who spent three years with the Cowboys during two separate stints. Both of those players had direct ties to Seattle defensive coordinator Aden Durde, who was a defensive line coach for three seasons in Dallas.

While Durde didn't coach Wilson directly, the two did spend several years together with the same franchise. For that reason, Durde might believe Wilson is someone who could be up to speed in a hurry, which would make him an attractive target this close to the regular season.

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