Cowboys want to keep key unit together for the foreseeable future
Cowboys’ executive vice president Stephen Jones said that keeping safeties Jayron Kearse, Malik Hooker, Donovan Wilson together is a priority
The Dallas Cowboys have completely turned their defense around over the last two seasons. One reason for this change has been the play of their safety group.
Jayron Kearse, Malik Hooker, and Donovan Wilson have established themselves as one of the better, if not the best, safety trios in the NFL. However, Wilson is set to be a free agent, and bidders will be chomping at the bit for his services.
Cowboys' executive vice president Stephen Jones spoke on the status of the unit at the NFL scouting combine, and his comment will make the fans in Dallas flash a smirk.
“It’s great to have all three of them," Jones said. "Obviously, a priority to keep them together. It will be one of our priorities.”
Although Wilson is the youngest of the group, he has the deepest roots in Dallas.
Wilson was a sixth-round pick out of Texas A&M in 2019, so he wasn’t looked at as a big-time prospect. However, that changed quickly.
During the preseason, Wilson led the NFL in interceptions with three, but before he could show what he could do when games mattered, Wilson suffered an ankle injury that forced him to miss the first two games of the season.
Wilson would be inactive for three more games, and only logged 16 defensive snaps (138 snaps on special teams). But when 2020 rolled around, Wilson reverted to the guy who dazzled fans as a rookie.
Playing in 14 games, Wilson was a stud. He tallied 71 tackles, two interceptions, three passes defended, three forced fumbles, two fumbles recoveries, and three and a half sacks. Sensational production.
Although the Cowboys had Wilson, the safety room still needed a lot of work. So, they added Kearse in March of 2021.
With Wilson battling multiple injuries that cost him eight games, Kearse shined. He played in 16 games with 15 starts and registered career highs in tackles (101), passes defended (10), and interceptions with two.
Keaese gained so much trust from defensive coordinator Dan Quinn that he gave him the responsibility of making the defensive calls. Not bad for a guy that nearly split his time between defense and special teams during his first five seasons with the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions (1,081 snaps on defense, 1095 snaps on special teams).
Kearse wasn't the only safety addition that season, Hooker joined him as well.
Hooker was coming off of a torn Achilles and had several injuries during his days with the Indianapolis Colts. However, he did show flashes of the first-round pick in 2017 and racked up 44 tackles and an interception.
Kearse and Hooker played well enough to receive multi-year deals from the Cowboys, setting up high expectations for both along with Wilson in 2022 in Quinn's Big Nickel package that featured all three of them on the field at the same time.
The results were good.
Kearse battled some injuries and missed three games but recorded 77 tackles. Hooker played in 16 and set a career-high with 62 tackles and tied his highest mark with three interceptions.
Wilson was the star of the group though.
Wilson was a heat-seeking missile with 101 tackles (led the team) and an unreal five sacks, and many felt he should have gotten Pro Bowl consideration.
If the Cowboys are successful in retaining Wilson, they will have to figure out how to bring Kearse and Hooker back in 2024 as both are in contract years.
Kearse, Hooker, and Wilson are certainly a force as a group, and keeping them together will assist in the Cowboys' defense staying at the top of the NFL.
Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports
