Cowboys lose another as veteran guard signs with San Francisco 49ers

The Dallas Cowboys officially have an opening at left guard after 2017 starter Jonathan Cooper signed a free agent contract with the San Francisco 49ers.

The 49ers announced the one-year deal via Twitter Tuesday afternoon.

The Cowboys were already looking to upgrade the position, but now they have no choice with Cooper, who started 14 games in 2017, leaving in free agency and no other options on the roster.

Joe Looney, a backup guard/center the past two years, is also a free agent as is Byron Bell, who had disappointing turns at guard and tackle in 2017.

There is a growing chance the Cowboys could move right tackle La’el Collins back to guard where he played the first two years of his career before moving outside in 2017.

The team hosted free agent tackles Cam Fleming and LaAdrian Waddle at the their headquarters Tuesday along with guard Marcus Martin.

A Fleming and/or Waddle’s addition could hasten Collins’ move back to guard. Both split time at tackle last year with the New England Patriots. The Cowboys also need a quality swing tackle to back up left tackle Tyron Smith and whoever plays right tackle if it is not Collins.

Vice president Stephen Jones said last month that the Cowboys were looking for a fifth offensive lineman and just wanted to get the five best guys on the field.

Moving Collins back inside would shore up the middle of the line with center Travis Frederick and right guard Zack Martin for quarterback Dak Prescott.

"We just have to find a fifth offensive lineman,'' Stephen Jones said from the NFL Scouting Combine last month. "We want our five best guys out there. We think that we have four really good ones ... There is probably no question that we have to find a fifth offensive lineman. However that comes about, where everybody ends up playing, we'll see.''

Cooper is the fifth player to leave via free agency for a Cowboys team have signed no outside free agents, though they did trade for fullback Jamize Olawale on Tuesday.

The list of departures include cornerback Orlando Scandrick (Washington Redskins), linebacker Anthony Hitchens (Kansas City Chiefs), fullback Keith Smith (Oakland Raiders) and linebacker Kyle Wilber (Oakland Raiders).

This story was originally published March 20, 2018 at 5:10 PM with the headline "Cowboys lose another as veteran guard signs with San Francisco 49ers."