Offensive Tackle Jermey Parnell, a former member of the Dallas Cowboys, was recently released by the Jacksonville Jaguars in a move to create more salary-cap savings.
Parnell started the last four years at right tackle for the Jaguars, but now finds himself without a job heading into the 2019 season for the first time in eight years. But, that might not be for long if the Dallas Cowboys have anything to say about it.
Before joining the Jaguars, Parnell spent four years of his career with the Dallas Cowboys. It was with the Cowboys where he was converted into a full-time offensive tackle after trying his hand at a few other positions.
Parnell entered the league as an undrafted free agent defensive end with the New Orleans Saints in 2009. With the Saints he was tried at defensive tackle, tight end, and offensive tackle, but never appeared in the game. He did however win a Super Bowl ring as a member of their practice squad.
He ended up getting released before the start of the 2010 season and spent a short 20 days with the Miami Dolphins before making his way back to the Saints for a second time. But unfortunately that didn’t last long either. That’s when the Cowboys jumped in and signed him on October 14, 2010. This is where his career finally found some footing.
With the Cowboys, Jermey Parnell finally found his full-time position and developed into a starting caliber offensive tackle. The majority of his time in Dallas he was their swing tackle, but he eventually split time in a rotation with Doug Free at right tackle in 2012. In 2014 Parnell started eight games at RT when Free was sidelined with an ankle injury and foot fracture.
We all know the story from there. He signed a lucrative contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an Unrestricted Free Agent in 2015 and that’s where he spent the last four years of his career.
Now that he finds himself an UFA once again, he could come back to where his career took off in the first place. The Dallas Cowboys are in need of a swing tackle and Parnell certainly fits the parameters of their strategy for acquiring FAs in free agency.
He is someone the Cowboys are very familiar with and it’s unlikely that he has a lot of suitors for his services considering he’s 32 years old. This is exactly the kind of cost-effective free agent Dallas gravitates to and someone who fills a need on the roster. It almost makes too much sense not to happen.
