Three free agents Dallas Cowboys could target to improve defense
The 2020 NFL season is nearing the finish line with just three more games left to be played. While we prepare to see who reaches Super Bowl LV, the Dallas Cowboys have an entire list of items to complete during this offseason. The number one thing on the said list is none other than re-signing […]
The 2020 NFL season is nearing the finish line with just three more games left to be played. While we prepare to see who reaches Super Bowl LV, the Dallas Cowboys have an entire list of items to complete during this offseason.
The number one thing on the said list is none other than re-signing Dak Prescott. Everything else should come afterwards. Locking up the team's franchise passer is extremely important to the short-term and overall success of the Dallas Cowboys.
Beyond that, the team has plenty of holes to fill on both sides of the ball. Offensive line had its struggles thanks to the injury bug in 2020, while the entire defense needs an improvement from this past season. The hiring of Dan Quinn as defensive coordinator and holding a top-10 draft pick are two factors that could go a long way in improving the Cowboys.
As fun as the NFL Draft is, the Cowboys cannot afford to sit around and wait until April to improve the roster. Dallas would be smart to show some aggression during this year's free agency period so that they don't head into the draft with one arm tied behind their back.
Below, we list three defensive free agents that the Dallas Cowboys should target this offseason.
Dalvin Tomlinson, defensive tackle
We begin this list with a player that Dallas Cowboys players should be familiar with: New York Giants defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson. The former Alabama Crimson Tide product has been making plays in the NFC East from his defensive tackle position since being drafted in the second-round of the 2017 draft.
Tomlinson has recorded 106 solo tackles and eight sacks during his NFL career. 26 of those solo tackles and 3.5 of those sacks came in 2020, where Tomlinson took another step in his development during a contract year.
Pro Football Focus recently wrote that the Cowboys should pursue the former Alabama star lineman. One of the biggest reasons why, per PFF, is because Tomlinson has the ability to step in and improve the Cowboys' run defense — which was atrocious in the first and only season under Mike Nolan as defensive coordinator.
The Dallas Cowboys' defense was a disaster this season, faring particularly poorly against the run. The unit allowed a monstrous 2.3 yards per carry before contact on average, which is a full half-yard worse than any other defense in the league.
Defending the run is, to some degree, just a conscious choice involving alignment and the number of players in the box, but that stat speaks to a lack of strength up the middle, where a player like Dalvin Tomlinson would immediately change the outcome. Tomlinson has PFF run-defense grades of at least 70.0 in every season of his career, and this season added a little pressure, with 28 combined sacks, hits and hurries.
Additionally, John Owning — who is a must follow on Twitter — of the Dallas Morning News wrote on how the Giants defender fits into Dan Quinn's scheme.
Signing Tomlinson wouldn’t only bolster Dallas’ interior defensive line but it will also make life easier on linebackers Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch behind him, as he will command and absorb double teams to give them more space and time to pursue ball carriers.
The Dallas Cowboys largely have ignored spending important resources on the interior of the defensive line, but that has begun to change in recent history. Dallas drafted Trysten Hill with its first pick of the 2019 draft (58th overall) and then inked Gerald McCoy and Dontari Poe in last year's free agency.
While none of those three — for differing reasons — have proven to be home runs for the Cowboys, it is encouraging to see that the thinking about the position has started to change. Dallas would be smart to target Tomlinson, as he would immediately boost the defensive line and be an important player for Dan Quinn's scheme.
Malik Hooker, safety
Improving the defensive line needs to near the top of offseason priorties for the Dallas Cowboys, but so should addressing the secondary. With multiple player set to hit free agency, the Cowboys need talent in the defensive backfield more than ever.
That brings us to Indianapolis Colts safety Malik Hooker. The 15th overall pick of the 2017 draft has struggled to stay healthy during his career in the NFL — which will likely be a big turn off for many teams this offseason. As a result, that could mean that the former Ohio State Buckeyes star could be signed for relatively cheap.
When on the field, Hooker has shown flashes of being a solid player on the professional level. The Ohio State product has the ranginess and ball skills that many teams crave. He was regarded as one of the elite defensive talents in the entire 2017 draft, but multiple season-ending injuries have kept him from showcasing what he can do.
The Cowboys need a true safety in the back-end that has the ability to cover and make plays on the ball in Dan Quinn's scheme, and Hooker fits into that mold. While Malik Hooker would be a high-risk signing due to his injury history, he could be a high-reward type of player on a low-cost deal.
Keanu Neal, safety
The second of two safeties on this list is Atlanta Falcons defensive back Keanu Neal. The former Florida Gators star has shown potential of being a top safety in the NFL, evidenced by being selected to the 2016 All-Rookie Team and being chosen as a 2017 Pro Bowler while playing under Dan Quinn.
Neal's connection with Quinn is a big reason why some have linked the Falcons safety to potentially ending up in Dallas this offseason. After all, Quinn knows Neal's strengths and weaknesses and would know how to utilize him perfectly in the Cowboys secondary.
2020 saw Neal make 100 total tackles, nine tackles-for-loss, three quarterback hits, and grab one interception during his likely final season in the ATL. After playing in just four total games in 2018 and 2019, Neal once again showed some of the talent that made him the 17th overall pick of the 2016 draft.
The Cowboys do have a rising safety on their roster in Donovan Wilson, but you can never have too much talent in your defensive backfield. The relationship between Dan Quinn and Keanu Neal makes the Falcons safety worth keeping an eye on as we get closer to 2021 free agency.
Featured image via Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
