The Dallas Cowboys are bringing back a key starter for their defense.
On Tuesday morning, news broke that safety Donovan Wilson and the team agreed to terms on a three-year deal worth up to $24 million with the first two years fully guaranteed ($13.5 million). The deal was confirmed by Wilson's agents Kevin Conner and Robert Brown.
To this point, the team did not make any moves and lost two players to other teams. This is a win for the Cowboys. Keeping Wilson felt like it may not happen after the franchise tag was given to Tony Pollard.
Wilson had a heck of a season, leading the team in tackles.
The #Cowboys have agreed to terms to re-sign S Donovan Wilson to a three-year deal worth up to $24 million with the first two years fully guaranteed ($13.5 million), sources say. The deal was confirmed by Wilson's agents Kevin Conner and Robert Brown of @UniSportsMgmt. pic.twitter.com/8EhQa17b5m
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 14, 2023
This might be the best secondary the Cowboys have had in a LONG time. With Wilson returning, they also have DaRon Bland, and will get Jourdan Lewis back from injury.
Not to mention they have Trevon Diggs on the outside, and let's not forget Malik Hooker and Jayron Kearse, but we could also see them use some picks in the draft to bolster it up even more.
The good news for the defense is that is just keeps getting better. Dan Quinn returns, and now Wilson re-signs with the team. With a career-high 101 tackles and five sacks last season, Quinn will once again have a chance to have the best defensive unit in all of football.
Wilson started every game in 2022, and had the most sacks by a defensive back in the NFL. For a defense that led the league in takeaways and only allowed 20.1 points per game, this is huge.
If they are not going to make any moves on offense, they need to make sure this defense stays one of the best in all of football.
Staying healthy, that is the biggest key. If Wilson can stay on the field for every game like last season, the Cowboys will be cooking. We saw injuries derail them late in the 2022 season.
Retaining Wilson was No. 47 on Gregg Rosenthal's top 101 free agents. (works for the NFL, and is also a co-host on the Around the NFL Podcast).
We all had plenty of questions regarding if the Cowboys would bring him back, including myself. Wilson brings that down-hill presence to the the defense and has the ability to play linebacker-type role if LVE does not get brought back.
With the team losing Connor McGovern to the Bills and Luke Gifford to the Titans, it was nice to see the team finally bring someone back.
Leighton Vander Esch, the teams second-leading tackler in 2022 might be on his way out, so it was probably a good move to at least get someone back in the door.
Nonetheless, my post probably sounds like a bunch of nothing. In the end, it is really about me being happy they brought Wilson back. He was a huge key to the great defense a year ago. If they can get a repeat performance from him, they can be just as good.
It is only day two, I really hope the Cowboys are not done with making moves.
