Dallas Cowboys add a safety in free agency but they are not done at the position
After filling holes on the defensive line in their first pass in free agency, the Dallas Cowboys have now turned their attention to the safety position.
The first step of the process came Saturday when the team agreed to terms with former Atlanta Falcons safety Keanu Neal on a one-year deal for $5 million, according to sources.
The Cowboys have visits set up next week with former Indianapolis Colts safety Malik Hooker and former Falcons safety Damontae Kazee to get a closer look at both players who are coming off season-ending Achilles injuries, per sources.
Kazee and Neal have a familiarity with the scheme and the system as defensive coordinator Dan Quinn was the Falcons head coach the past six seasons and secondary coach Joe Whitt Jr. was their position coach in Atlanta last season.
Neal is a former first-round pick of the Falcons in 2016. He made the Pro Bowl at strong safety in 2017 but suffered a torn ACL in 2018 and a torn Achilles in 2019.
Neal rebounded to start 14 of 15 games last season. He finished with 100 tackles, nine tackles for losses, three quarterback hits and one sack.
The Falcons decided to let him free agency to save money on salary cap after he played last season under the fifth-year option of his rookie deal for $6.5 million.
Neal will bring a physical presence to the defense and the Cowboys plan to use him at strong safety and weak side linebacker in their scheme, per a source.
Kazee, a 2017 fifth-round pick of the Falcons, is a potential ball hawk for the Cowboys at free safety. He tied for the NFL lead with 10 interceptions during the 2018 and 2019 seasons.
Hooker is also an option at free safety with top-end potential as he was a 2017 first-round pick of the Colts. He just needs to shake off the injuries that plagued him the past four seasons.
In addition to the Achilles tear, he suffered a torn ACL that cut short his rookie season.
Hooker missed two games with a hip injury in 2018. And his 2019 season was derailed early by a torn meniscus in his left knee.
The injury histories of Hooker and Kazee also put them in the Cowboys’ price range as the team wants to upgrade the position without investing a lot of money.
The Cowboys also plan to address the position in the 2021 NFL Draft. Of their two 2020 starters, Donovan Wilson is slated to return, while free agent Xavier Woods is expected to find a new home.
The focus on safeties has come after the team beefed up the defensive line with the signings of Carlos Watkins, Brent Urban and Tarell Basham.
In other moves, the Cowboys re-signed receiver Malik Turner after declining to tender him as a restricted free agent.
Turner played in six games with the Cowboys in 2020, making most of his contributions on special teams.
The Cowboys also waived center Marcus Henry, tight end Cole Hikutini, wide receiver Jon’Vea Johnson, and wide receiver Chris Lacy. All four spent time on the practice squad last season.
