Cowboys reunite with veteran LB on one-year deal

Wilson has agreed to terms with the Cowboys, ESPN’s Todd Archer reports. He will be in place on a one-year pact qualifying for the veteran salary benefit ($168K), Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News adds. 

The former Dallas fourth-rounder joined the team late in the regular season last year, though he did not see any game action. With the 2024 draft having come and gone, he will now try and carve out a roster spot on a Cowboys team which has made a few moves at the linebacker spot so far.

Dallas has drawn considerable criticism with respect to free agent additions this offseason, but one of the team’s few transactions has been a one-year deal with Eric Kendricks. The former Vikings and Chargers starter will be able to provide first-team snaps for the Cowboys and in doing so help offset the loss of Leighton Vander Esch. The latter was forced to retire this offseason as a result of his neck surgery.

The Cowboys have Damone Clark and Buddy Johnson in place as returnees at the linebacker spot. 2023 third-rounder DeMarvion Overshown missed his entire rookie campaign, but he faces high expectations entering the coming season. Dallas added further depth by selecting Notre Dame product Marist Liufau in the third round of this year’s draft.

Wilson, 30, began the 2023 season by serving a four-game suspension stemming from a personal conduct violation. He last played in 2022 with the Panthers, but his most productive campaign came one year earlier with the Jaguars. The Minnesota product racked up 106 tackles in 2021 while serving as a full-time starter (something which was also generally the case during his time with Chiefs). 

Wilson was a rotational defender in Dallas while playing out his rookie contract, and that will likely be the case again in 2024 if he makes the team’s opening roster.