These days when it comes to the Dallas Cowboys, defense is the name of the game. Thanks to the leadership of guys like defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence and the stellar play of linebacker Micah Parsons and cornerback Trevon Diggs, the Cowboys' defense turned into one of the better units of its kind last season after a terrible showing in 2020 and has become the engine that gets the team rolling.

One position, in particular, has gone from rags to riches, safety. Cowboys owner, Jerry Jones,  was very candid when talking about the state of the safety spot in Dallas recently.

"We've never been in better shape at safety," Jones said.

That's a bold statement by Jones, but he has evidence to support his claim.

After years of treating the position like an afterthought, the Cowboys brought signed three veterans during free agency in 2021. Two of them, Jayron Kearse and Malik Hooker, panned out well as the Cowboys could have hoped, especially considering they only received one-year deals.

Kearse, who was thought of as more of a depth piece and special teams contributor at the time he signed, led the Cowboys with 101 tackles and displayed his ability to cover tight ends at an exceptional level. The former seventh-round pick was so good that he received the green dot to get the defensive play calls from Dan Quinn, a duty that Parsons had previously.

Hooker was eased in after rehabbing a torn Achilles. He ended up playing in 15 games with three starts and turned in on during the second half of the season, showing flashes of the playmaker he's always been when healthy.

The Cowboys rewarded Kearse and Hooker with two-year deals during the offseason and they are set to be the team's starting safeties for the 2022 season. Then, of course, there's Donovan Wilson, the Cowboys' sixth-round pick in 2019. His impact last season wasn't as strong as it was in 2020 when he was one of the biggest playmakers on the Cowboys' defense but Wilson is still an important part of the safety rotation when the team runs their Big Nickel package with three safeties.

Dallas has done a great job recently in another area, adding depth to the safety position. Israel Mukuamu was taken in the sixth round a year ago but didn't make his presence known with only 20 defensive snaps. Things have changed in 2022 as the former South Carolina Gamecock has gotten plenty of reps during the preseason, and he's made them count.

Mukuamu registered three passes defended and two interceptions. In addition to his good coverage reps, Mukuamu also showed that he can be a willing supporter against the run.

One of the Cowboys' investments this offseason when it comes to safety is paying immediate dividends. Markquese Bell was one of the Cowboys' pre-draft visitors but he went undrafted, which shocked many. After signing with Dallas, Bell's skill set caught the eye of Quinn in an instant, and begin the think of ways to use him not just at safety but also linebacker due to his versatility.

“For instance, when I looked at Markquese [Bell], I asked, ‘What would he look like at linebacker? What would he look like down in the box?’. So… I had him meet as a linebacker for that day because I saw the hitting and the contact”, Quinn said. “So, I try to always make sure the vision is there for the player. Because, sometimes when a guy gets here, they’re not quite sure what the vision is.”

Bell responded with a strong preseason as he amassed 10 tackles (nine solo tackles), a pass defended, and an interception. He along with Mukuamu makes up the depth behind Kearse, Hooker, and Wilson, giving the Cowboys quite the collective unit.

Hooker was the best of the group in the college ranks. He was a first-round pick of the Indianapolis Colts in 2017. Unfortunately, Hooker dealt with several injuries like ACL/MCL tears as well as shoulder and groin issues which kept him from fully showing what made him such a top prospect.

Last season was certainly a bounce-back campaign for Hooker as he finished with 44 tackles (tied for the second-most of his career), two passes defended, and an interception. A few weeks ago, Jones was extremely complementary when speaking on Hooker.

“He really is a difference-maker, said Jones. "He plays the ball great. He’s arguably the surest tackler we’ve got. And that’s saying a lot. … Boy, we got some talent all over that defense.”

A weak spot has turned into a strength for the Cowboys. Their safety room is stockpiled with capable bodies, and it looks like it will be that way for the foreseeable future.

Feature image via Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports