Last year at this time, Jayron Kearse was just one of the new guys in the Cowboys secondary. Fast-forward twelve months, and he’s become the guy.
The 28-year-old safety had fifteen starts for Dallas last year, more than he had amassed in his previous five NFL seasons combined. Along the way, he found himself taking over defensive playcalling duties from linebacker Micah Parsons midway through the season.
Now with a new two-year contract extension worth $10 million to go along with that neon green dot, Kearse sees his place on the team very differently.
“Around this time last year, I was coming in to compete, just trying to get my feet wet, trying to earn my way here,” the former seventh-round draft pick out of Clemson said this week. “Now it’s established that I’m a leader and guys look at me to lead. The play has to be there, along with me encouraging guys and that type of thing.”
Kearse excelled in Dan Quinn’s 2021 defense, playing in a hybrid safety/linebacker role. He logged over 100 tackles, enjoyed his first multi-interception season, and recorded both his first sack and first fumble recovery. He was on the field for 1,014 of the Cowboys’ defensive plays, good for third place on the team. Had he not missed the season finale with COVID-19, he likely would have led the unit in snaps.
After seeing limited action over four years in Minnesota and a season in Detroit, Kearse has thrived- both on the field and in the locker room- in a leadership role with the Cowboys.
“I put myself in that position, and it’s something that I love doing,” Kearse said. “I love being the guy that everybody looks at, like, ‘Okay, he’s doing this, so we’ve got to that.’ Being the example. I know I can do it, so if you’re following me, then the sky’s the limit.”
Thanks to the Cowboys’ strength-in-numbers approach to the safety position, Kearse has plenty of guys following him. Of the seven safeties currently on the roster, Kearse is the elder statesman. But he says even the youngsters are making strides toward reaching the level he himself has attained.
“It’s been great,” he said of the group’s work so far at OTAs. “Everybody that’s been on the back end with me that I’ve had to work with has been great. Guys are taking it seriously. Whether it’s Israel [Mukuamu], whether it’s T.C.- Tyler Coyle- no matter who it is, guys are ready to take that next step.”
Because if anybody knows what it’s like to be the new guy just trying to make the team, it’s Kearse. Not that long ago, it was.
Now, he’s teaching them how.
“Everybody’s taking the initiative to prepare themselves to go out there Day One and be a starter. As long as we can continue to do that, no matter where you are on the depth chart, I think we’re going to be good.”
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