Could Jayron Kearse’s guaranteed contract be the foundation of a Dallas Cowboys title?
When Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones likes his guys, he takes care of his guys.
Arguments can be made all day whether it’s the foundation for championship success.
And of course, the last 28 years have a story to tell.
But there is no question that happy and players with no distractions perform better and certainly become more willing and loyal employees.
So just days after coming to terms with All-Pro guard Zack Martin on a restructured deal that will pay him $36.5 million guaranteed over the next two seasons, ending his 21-day hold out, Jones made safety Jayron Kearse happy by guaranteeing his $4 million base salary for 2023.
It’s not in the same category as Martin, but it’s a gesture and it is more than appreciative by Kearse, especially considering that the two other starting safeties were rewarded with contract extensions in recent months.
When Kearse signed a two-year, $10 million deal in 2022, he was the highest-paid safety on the team.
But that was before Donovan Wilson, 28, signed a three-year, $21 million deal in March and Malik Hooker, 28, got a three-year, $24 million deal after arriving to training camp.
Kearse, 29, is the oldest of the three, putting his future with the Cowboys behind this season in question.
Short of getting a new deal, the Cowboys did what they could to make him happy in the interim by guaranteeing his contract.
Given that Kearse is a vested veteran, his contract would have been guaranteed after Week 1.
But doing it now gives him some security in case he suffered an injury before the start of the season.
It’s not a major salary come up but it’s a gesture that will go along with Kearse and the players in the locker room.
“As the head coach, I’m thrilled because I think it shows the investment into the individuals, who people are part of it, the culture in the locker room,” coach Mike McCarthy said. “I was glad to see us get that done. JK feels good about it too.”
That safety trio may not be filled with All-Pros, but it’s the deepest and strongest unit on the defense.
It’s the reason why the Cowboys use the big nickel with three safeties and two linebackers as the base defense of a unit that has led the league in turnovers in each of the past two seasons.
And Kearse is the undisputed leader back there.
Jones and the Cowboys did what they could to make him happy. It’s backbone of a championship organization.
Now, let’s see if it results in titles on the field.
This story was originally published August 16, 2023 at 1:46 PM.
