Cowboys add former safety, infamously shunned draft target to coaching staff

The draft pick that wasn’t, but led to the current brain trust, safety who stayed longer than many thought he would find work in Dallas. | From @ToddBrock24f7

It’s no secret the Cowboys love to collect former first-round draft picks. Now they have one on their coaching staff. They’ve also brought back a very recent alum to help man the sidelines in a new capacity.

Dallas has reportedly hired Sharrif Floyd as its new assistant defensive line coach and defensive quality control coach, per a Thursday night tweet from ESPN’s Field Yates. In addition, ex-safety Darian Thompson will serve as the team’s new assistant linebackers and quality control coach; that development comes via the Dallas Morning News.

Floyd was selected by the Vikings with the 23rd overall pick in 2013’s NFL draft and played four seasons as a defensive tackle in Minnesota; he was forced into an early retirement due to severe nerve damage in his knee following a 2016 surgery.

There are a couple of Cowboys connections for Floyd. The lesser known side is that Floyd played two seasons of college ball at Florida with Dan Quinn as his defensive coordinator. He also spent a portion of last summer’s training camp interning with the team’s coaching staff.

Floyd is also linked to the Cowboys from the draft. In 2013, and in need of defensive tackle help, Floyd was available when the Cowboys came on the clock at 18. Dallas had Floyd ranked extremely highly but instead of taking him, traded down to No. 30. There, they allegedly reached for a center.

The decision to go against the scout’s draft board led to Will McClay’s eventual ascension to the top of the personnel hierarchy.

Floyd had been back in Gainesville, earning his college degree and working as a student-assistant under Gators coaches Dan Mullen and Billy Napier.

“[The] guy’s got a bright future in football and was an exceptional player,” Napier said of Floyd prior to the Gators’ 2022 season. “I think he’s got character. I think he understands the big picture, takes pride in his role, and certainly him being able to coach on the field, I think, is an advantage for players,” Napier said in August.

Floyd will replace Leon Lett, the Cowboys’ longtime assistant defensive line coach who was also a defensive tackle for the dynasty teams of the 1990s. Lett was one of the assistant coaches let go in January after Dallas’s divisional-round playoff loss.

As for Thompson, he last played, for the Cowboys, in 2021. A third-round pick by the Giants in 2016, he played two seasons in New York and then ended up in Dallas for the 2018 campaign.

With the Cowboys, the former Boise State Bronco appeared in 45 games over four years but was not re-signed after the 2021 season.  He finished his NFL playing career with 173 combined tackles, 1.5 sacks, two interceptions, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.

He reportedly interviewed for his new position on the Cowboys coaching staff this week.

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Cowboys safeties Damontae Kazee, Darian Thompson meet with new teams

The Cowboys signed Jayron Kearse and Malik Hooker to stay in 2022, Kazee met with Seattle, while Thompson visited Indianapolis recently. | From @ToddBrock24f7

The Cowboys could be losing some of their safety net at the safety position as two of their deep-defensive backs have reportedly visited with other clubs in recent days.

Damontae Kazee was scheduled to meet with the Seattle Seahawks on Monday, as first reported by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. That news comes on the heels of Darian Thompson’s in-person visit with the Indianapolis Colts late last week, courtesy of NFL Network’s Mike Garofalo.

Longtime safety Keanu Neal, who was listed as a linebacker on the Cowboys’ 2021 roster, already left in free agency to sign with Tampa Bay. He’s said to be returning to the safety position with the Buccaneers.

The Cowboys have re-signed free agent safeties Malik Hooker and Jayron Kearse to new contracts this offseason, ensuring their return to the team. They’ll join veteran Donovan Wilson, late-round draft pick Israel Mukuamu (now in his second year), and 2021 practice squad call-up Tyler Coyle.

Kazee came to Dallas last March eager to reunite with defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who coached him in Atlanta. Coming off a 2020 Achilles tear, he saw heavy usage in 2021, taking over 78% of the Cowboys’ defensive snaps on the season and was in on 52 tackles, logging two interceptions and two forced fumbles.

Thompson had been with the Cowboys since 2018, following two seasons with the Giants. The former third-round pick has amassed 91 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and a pick in his four seasons in Dallas, but he played only sparingly in 2021. He saw action in just five games, mostly on special teams.

There are several safeties still available on the open market, including Tyrann Mathieu, Landon Collins, and Terrell Edmunds. The Cowboys have not been big spenders in free agency, though, especially with other teams’ castoffs.

Among this year’s draft class, Notre Dame’s Kyle Hamilton is the top prospect. Georgia’s Lewis Cine, Penn State’s Jaquan Brisker, Baylor’s Jalen Pitre, and Michigan’s Daxton Hill are also among the standouts, though the Cowboys historically stay away from drafting safeties until the late rounds.

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Report: Colts brought in S Darian Thompson for free-agent visit

The Colts brought in S Darian Thompson for a free-agent visit.

The Indianapolis Colts brought in free-agent safety Darian Thompson for a visit, reported by Mike Garafolo of NFL Network on Friday.

Thompson, a former third-round pick with the New York Giants, has seen his career get held back by injuries. The Boise State product spent two seasons with the Giants (2016-2017) and the last four seasons with the Dallas Cowboys (2018-2021).

In 63 career games (28 starts), Thompson has recorded two interceptions, 10 passes defended and five tackles for loss.

The Colts signed safeties Armani Watts and Rodney McLeod this offseason, but it’s clear general manager Chris Ballard doesn’t want to have to rely on street free agents like they did in 2021.


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Donovan Wilson expected to join Cowboys vs Eagles, Jarwin possible; Darian Thompson tests positive for COVID

Wilson stayed behind as the team traveled to Philadelphia, but received a negative COVID test and will reportedly join the team for Week 18. | From @ToddBrock24f7

The Cowboys’ Week 18 contest against Philadelphia may be mostly a formality when it comes to closing out the 2021 campaign so that postseason prep can begin in earnest. But the team continues to tweak the roster, even with less than 12 hours to go in their regular season.

Safety Donovan Wilson, who had been listed as questionable earlier in the week with an illness, has reportedly received negative COVID test results and will be traveling to Philadelphia with an expectation to see some action on the field Saturday night.

The Cowboys secondary has been depleted recently, with safety Jayron Kearse and cornerbacks Trevon Diggs and Anthony Brown all hitting the injury report. Brown is in COVID protocol, while Diggs is out with an illness and Kearse is dealing with a hamstring issue.

Rookie defensive backs Kelvin Joseph, Nahshon Wright, and Israel Mukuamu are all expected to log significant snaps, although some of that pressure may be taken off with the late arrival of Wilson.

Safety and special teams contributor Darian Thompson has also tested positive for the virus. He did not travel with the team as he awaited his results and will now be added to the practice squad with a COVID designation.

Practice squad safety Tyler Coyle, a highly-touted undrafted free agent rookie from Purdue, will likely be elevated to provide depth for the season-ending game.

On the offensive side, tight end Blake Jarwin is expected to be activated and available to face the Eagles. He suffered a hip injury against Minnesota on Halloween night and has not played since, suffering a bout with COVID while he rehabbed.

His 21-day practice window opened on Tuesday; Cowboys coaches said he looked good in his work this week.

The Cowboys are assured of at least the No. 4 seed in the NFC postseason bracket, even with a loss in Philadelphia. A win, though, coupled with a combination of other teams winning their games, could potentially move them to No. 3 or even No. 2.

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Cowboys bring 2 veterans off practice squad for opener vs Bucs

Darian Thompson and Jeremy Sprinkle are gameday elevations to the Dallas roster, and can be moved back down following Week 1. | From @ToddBrock24f7

The Cowboys have made two late moves in the final lead-up to Thursday night’s season opener in Tampa. As per last year’s rules, a team may bring two players up from the practice squad for gameday only and then return them directly to the practice squad afterward. The rule was intended to offer clubs eleventh-hour substitution help as they dealt with COVID-19. That rule remains in place this season, and the Cowboys are taking full advantage of it.

Safety Darian Thompson and tight end Jeremy Sprinkle were elevated from the practice squad to the gameday roster.

Both players will bolster the Cowboys’ bench depth at key positions against the Buccaneers.

Thompson was a part-time starter at safety in 2020 and could step in if needed Thursday. Safety Donovan Wilson suffered a groin injury two weeks ago and only just returned to full participation at practice on Monday. Israel Mukuamu is a rookie and came off the Reserve/COVID list 13 days ago.

Sprinkle is a four-year veteran who would ostensibly serve as the team’s No. 3 tight end. Blake Jarwin sat out nearly all of last season with an ACL injury and was eased back into action during training camp. Dalton Schultz played very well in relief and is now entering a contract year in Dallas, but he is coming off a high ankle sprain suffered in mid-August. Promising youngster Sean McKeon is on short-term IR with a high ankle sprain and will miss at least the first three games of the season.

Both Thompson and Sprinkle would likely see time on special teams in Week 1.

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Darian Thompson will have to embrace break-glass status with 2021 Cowboys

Being able to stash Thompson on the practice squad gives Dallas insurance for 2021, having experience if he needs to step in during the season. | From @CDBurnett7

During the final cuts for the 53-man roster, Cowboys safety Darian Thompson was released and moved to the practice squad. For a former third-round pick and starter when safety Donovan Wilson went down last year, it’s going to be a change of pace.

Thompson, a Boise State standout, spent his rookie season with the New York Giants battling injuries, but burst onto the scene in his sophomore breakout, totaling a career-high 75 tackles in 2017. In a complete flip, Thompson didn’t make the New York roster for 2018 and found his way to Dallas.

With little opportunity, Thompson earned some playing time as mainly a special teamer in his first season for the Cowboys. After seeing the field in ten games, he signed a two-year extension with Dallas.

Taking over the backup strong safety spot, Thompson represented the “next man up” mantra and become a serviceable safety in a defense that struggled, especially in 2020. Thompson saw his fair share of mistakes and will have to battle his way back to the active roster after the additions of safeties Damontae Kazee, Malik Hooker, Jayron Kearse and Israel Mukuamu.

The player profile series countdown continues with No. 23, safety Darian Thompson.

Darian Thompson among several Cowboys cuts named to practice squad

Safety Darian Thompson will be addd to the practice squad after being released on Tuesday along with quarterback Ben DiNucci and more. | From @StarConscience

The Dallas Cowboys cut their roster down to the mandated 53 players on Tuesday. One of the moves they made was to release veteran safety Darian Thompson who had been with the team for the past three seasons.

Thompson’s departure from the Cowboys would be short-lived, as it was revealed on Wednesday Dallas is bringing back Thompson to the practice squad. He’s one of 14 players who has been released over the month of August who will return.

The former third-round pick of the New York Giants in 2016 has buttered his bread with Cowboys on defense and special teams. After just one defensive snap in 2018, Thompson has logged 903 over the last two seasons with 11 starts. He’s amassed 88 tackles, an interception, four pass breakups, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and 1.5 sacks. The veteran has also been on the field for 483 special teams snaps during that span.

Several other players will still get another chance to once again wear the star on their helmets.

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Ben DiNucci’s time in Dallas has been a struggle. After going just 23 of 43 for 219 yards and fumbling four times (team lost two) in 2020, the seventh-round pick didn’t perform well in the preseason. He went 35 of 66 for 348 yards with two touchdowns and four interceptions. His three-interception outing against the Houston Texans likely played a huge in the decision to wave him. Nonetheless, he’s back with the Cowboys.

Hard Knocks’ feel-good story Issac Alarcon continues his intriguing NFL journey. As a member of the International Player Pathway Program (IPPP), Alarcon is a part of the NFL’s attempt to the amount of non-American and Canadian players in the NFL. He’s shown promise but will have to work on his technique and footwork to make it on the professional level.

JaQuan Hardy got his shot to win the RB3 role in the dress rehearsal game against the Houston Texans once Rico Dowdle went to injured reserve with a hip injury. Unfortunately, he only gained 26 yards on nine carries with nearly half of that total (11 yards) coming on one attempt. Hardy has some ability but will have to learn to hit holes faster and do a better job of catching the ball out of the backfield.

Fullback Nick Ralston made an impression on special teams and as a lead blocker during the preseason. Braylon Jones not only provides depth at guard but also at center, which is important with how Connor Williams struggled to snap the football in an attempt to see if he had value as a backup at the position to Tyler Biadasz.

In addition to Kyron Brown and Brandon Smith, the Cowboys are also re-signing cornerback Deante Burton and wide receiver Osirus Mitchell.

The rules for the practice squad are as follows. A player can be called up twice during the season to be activated on gameday and moved back to the practice squad without being a waiver risk. However, if a player is called up a third time and gets released, they can’t be added back to the practice squad and will be on the waiver wire instead.

Look for more moving and shaking in regards to the Cowboys roster now that the waiver wire is in full swing.

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ESPN tabs this free-agent signing as Cowboys player most on camp bubble

Jayron Kearse has NFL pedigree, but will be fighting for a spot on the Cowboys’ final roster as the team searches for answers at safety.

It happens every year. Training camps get rolling across the league, cuts are made, and a few veteran players suddenly find themselves out of a job. A younger player steps up during practice, a team draws a line in the sand over salary, a project player doesn’t live up to billing, an older player’s skills diminish just a little bit too far, and the circle of life continues in the NFL.

The bubble is a dangerous place to be during training camp, but basic math says several Cowboys will be on it as they arrive in Oxnard later this month. Trying to predict who will or won’t survive is a dicey proposition; one head-turning play in a scrimmage is often enough to cement a spot on the final roster. For others, that moment never even presents itself.

ESPN asked its NFL Nation reporters to offer up the name of one player on each team who may be in a precarious spot as training camp gets underway. Todd Archer looks squarely at the position that the Cowboys perennially have trouble with and says free agent safety Jayron Kearse could be the odd man out.

Writes Archer:

“The Cowboys do not have a lot of veterans in danger for the traditional reasons, like money, age, or draft resources at that spot. So it comes down to Kearse or Darian Thompson, though both could make the final roster. Thompson started seven games last year and is a core special teamer. Kearse, who is guaranteed just $137,500 on the one-year deal he signed, can do the same. It could come down to the development of sixth-round pick Israel Mukuamu. If he shows he can make the transition from college corner to safety, then Kearse and Thompson will be in a battle. Thompson’s time with the current staff gives him the slightest edge.”

Kearse signed with Dallas in late March. The Clemson product was a seventh-round draft pick by Minnesota in 2016. The nephew of former Titans defensive end Jevon Kearse and the cousin of Raiders ex-cornerback Phillip Buchanon, Kearse seemingly had the DNA to make some noise in a pro defense.

But over four seasons, Kearse got just five starts with the Vikings. He signed a one-year deal with Detroit in 2020 and eventually started seven games, but missed the first portion of the season due to a substance-abuse suspension. Following the regular season, he spent a few weeks on the Ravens practice squad during their postseason run.

Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 215 pounds, the 27-year-old has the size that new coordinator Dan Quinn openly covets in his defensive backs. But so do many of the guys Kearse will be competing against in camp.

As Archer points out, Thompson has tenure and a relationship with the staff. And the rookie Mukuamu was taken because the Dallas coaches clearly feel there is some level of untapped potential there. With Donovan Wilson and Damontae Kazee projected by most to be the starting safeties, it could well come down to making a big special teams play in a fortuitous situation that determines whether the bubble underneath Kearse bursts.

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Cowboys secondary decimated; 4 of 5 intended starters out vs Bengals

The Cowboys are set to be without four of the top six defensive backs as they travel to Cincinnati.

The Dallas Cowboys defense has been the worst unit in the NFL this season, and they might now be more more depleted than they have been all season.

Dallas announced that safety Donovan Wilson (groin) and cornerback Anthony Brown (ribs) did not travel with the team to Cincinnati this week, according to the Dallas Morning News’ Michael Gehlken. Wilson and Brown are not the only defensive backs that the Cowboys will be missing as the club placed CB Chidobe Awuzie on the COVID list earlier this week. Rookie CB Trevon Diggs remains on IR with a broken foot.

Diggs, Awuzie, and Brown are three of the Cowboys top four remaining cornerbacks, with Xavier Woods the lone healthy member of the original starting secondary. Veteran Jourdan Lewis will man one of the corner spots.

Rashard Robinson and Savion Smith are now expected to start at the cornerback position, alongside Lewis. Robinson joined the Cowboys before Week 11, and has already played significant snaps since joining the squad. Smith has appeared in five Cowboys games since Week 3, but has only played a total of 14 defensive snaps.

Wilson had been a bright spot for the Dallas defense, taking over the starting safety role in Week 5 and continuing to improve until he played his best game to-date in the Cowboys Week 11 win in Minnesota, where he forced two turnovers.

Safety Darian Thompson is expected to make his second straight start in place of Wilson.

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Watch: Cowboys Darian Thompson gets big interception off tip drill

Dallas Cowboys safety Darian Thompson comes up with an interception in the first quarter of the Tuesday night football game.

Safety Darian Thompson was replaced as a full time defender after the first drive of the Dallas Cowboys Week 4 game against the Cleveland Browns. With Donovan Wilson out due to injury Tuesday night against the Baltimore Ravens, he’s back in the starting lineup.

The time off seemed to have turned around his luck. On the first Dallas defensive drive of the night he came up with a tipped ball off an errant pass from the reigning MVP Lamar Jackson.

That’s just the second career interception for Thompson and the first for him since signing with the Cowboys ahead of the 2018 season. Unfortunately the offense was incapable of cashing in on the short field, settling for a field goal to open up the scoring on the night.