Dante Fowler Jr. has had his ups and downs. But heading into his 10th season, he might just be a ‘late bloomer’
While the Dallas Cowboys are not known for dropping big contracts in free agency, they strayed a bit from the norm that they have created over the last 15 years by signing defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. to a one-year deal worth up to $8 million earlier this month.
While it’s far from breaking the bank, it’s the richest annual deal for an outside free agent since 2015 as the Cowboys added immediate pass rush help after the departure of DeMarcus Lawrence.
Fowler is back in Dallas after a two-year stint in 2022 and 2023. He spent one season away with the Washington Commanders where he saw a career resurgence, totaling 39 tackles and 10.5 sacks as a backup on the edge for the Cowboys’ NFC East rivals.
“I feel like I got the most reps I’ve gotten in a long time,” Fowler said about his 2024 season. “I had a really good offseason, taking care of my body and working out. I felt really good going into [last] season...I’ll just take the same formula here in Dallas, because we have better resources down here. I’m excited to see where it’s going to go heading into next year.”
Fowler will now be a featured piece in the Dallas pass rush alongside Micah Parsons. The two obviously have a relationship and the intrigue exists for what they can accomplish together now with a little more experience for both.
“Micah is young, man,” Fowler said. “He’s been a household name ever since he came in the league. Micah has everything in front of him, and that’s because of what he’s put in. Everybody is different and everybody can take things differently, but I love what Micah does. He’s only growing as a player and a person.”
It’s a reunion in more than one way for Fowler, who will be reuniting with defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton who was on the defensive staff for the Jacksonville Jaguars for Fowler’s rookie season in 2016.
“He’s just a high energy guy,” he said. “He’s super passionate about coaching defense. He gets after it, he was a huge part of ‘Sacksonville’. I definitely have a lot of memories with him, and I’ve carried them with me. I’m excited to get to work with him.”
From being drafted with the third overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, Fowler’s career maybe didn’t go how he expected it to. Despite a dream situation being drafted to his hometown team in Jacksonville, it only lasted two-and-a-half seasons before he was traded to the Los Angeles Rams. Three stints with the Atlanta Falcons, Cowboys and Commanders later, and not only is he still around going into his 10th season, he’s playing some of the best football of his career.
“Maybe I was a late bloomer or something. I don’t see why it would stop right now.”
