Tag: Donovan Wilson

Cowboys re-sign safety Donovan Wilson to 3-year deal

The Cowboys keep another of their important free agents, inking the best young safety they’ve had in years. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Dallas Cowboys have made their first signing of the free agency period. Technically, they’ve already agreed to keep running back Tony Pollard and right tackle Terence Steele; but those are respectively tenders of the franchise tag and restricted-free-agent variety. Now, they’ve actually signed a player who had a chance to go elsewhere.

After losing guard Connor McGovern to the Buffalo Bills and LB Luke Gifford to the Tennessee Titans, Dallas has kept safety Donovan Wilson in house. The deal, three-years for up to $24 million includes two years of guaranteed money at just $13.5 million. The hard-hitting Wilson has always been a fan favorite and in 2022 developed into one of the league’s best box safeties. Dallas has struggled to develop safeties in the last decade plus, so it means a lot that they kept Wilson after he reached the level of Pro Bowl consideration.

The former sixth-round pick from Texas A&M started all 17 games last season for Dallas, notching an interception, forcing two fumbles and tallying five sacks. He had 101 combined tackles last season, one shy of his total from his first three years in the league combined.

He had seven tackles behind the line of scrimmage and registered nine QB hits.

Wilson is an enforcer, capable of intimidating offensive players in a league where that is becoming a rare quality. He’s capable of blitzing as well, leading the NFL in pressures from the safety position with 14 in 2022.

The Cowboys often employ three-safety looks under defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, and keeping Wilson allows them another year for him to work with Jayron Kearse and Malik Hooker, who both signed two-year extensions last offseason.

Dallas has a bunch of talent in the pipeline in Israel Mukuamu and Markquese Bell along with Juanyeh Thomas and Tyler Coyle.

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Letting Vander Esch, Wilson test FA market wise move for Cowboys

The Cowboys appear to be letting two prominent defenders test the market before making them a sizable offer. Is it the wise choice? | From @ReidDHanson

As things appear now, it seems the Cowboys would like to retain free agents Donovan Wilson and Leighton Vander Esch. Wilson, a safety, was one of their biggest playmakers of the 2022 season. Vander Esch, their top linebacker, was a reliable presence in the middle, posting his best season since his rookie campaign.

Both players were instrumental in Dallas’ success in 2022 and both would be sorely missed if they left in free agency this off-season. But just because the Cowboys want to have them back, doesn’t mean they will come back. Details matter and when details mean money, they matter quite a bit.

One of the worst things a franchise can do in free agency is over-valuing their own players. This somewhat natural instinct can be a costly mistake, impacting the spending power and overall long-term health of the ball club.

When the Cowboys look at Vander Esch, they likely see a guy who was their top pick in 2018. A former Pro Bowler who played a significant role on defense and a guy who’s coming off the second-best season of his career.

Outside teams may see him differently. They may see a player with long-term health risks. They could see a player who had more average-to-poor than good seasons. They may see a player who’s only interesting at the right price.

Wilson is in a similar situation. The fifth-year safety was a splash-play machine in the box last season. He was a big hitter, emotional tone-setter and difference maker in both phases of the game. Dallas likely sees him as one of the most important cogs in Dan Quinn’s machine. They could see him as someone who embodies the attitude of the defense and someone a franchise can build around.

Again, outside teams may see him differently. They may see a player who’s had trouble staying on the field throughout his career. They could see a guy who was nothing more than No. 3 in Dallas’ safety hierarchy. They may see a great complementary player but not a reliable cornerstone to build around.

Who has it right in this scenario, the Cowboys or the rest of the league?

A player is worth whatever the market pays him, but smart teams don’t offer significantly more than the rest of the market.

Testing the market is risky. It allows another team to swoop in and take a player Dallas would like to keep; it only takes one team willing to go the extra mile to turn this strategy on its head. But it also protects the Cowboys from overspending. It allows them to gauge the demand and find a suitable figure for both player and team.

Dallas employed this strategy with safety Jayron Kearse last off-season. Kearse was their leading tackler, Quinn’s back-seven chess piece and a team leader. But they tested him against the market and came to an agreement.

It appears to be the same plan for Vander Esch and Wilson.

They seem to want to keep both players but the price has to be right for the team. Both players seem to want to come back to Dallas but the price has to be right to the players. It’s perfectly reasonable for these players to want to maximize their value and test the market. It may even benefit the Cowboys when all is said and done.

It will be tough if Dallas loses either Vander Esch or Wilson in free agency, but they’re probably doing the smart thing by testing the market and avoiding the temptation of proactively overpaying.

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It’s officially Deal or No Deal for Donovan Wilson and the Dallas Cowboys

No deal yet for former Aggies safety Donovan Wilson

The NFL’s new league year starts on March 15 at 4 p.m., and that’s when clubs can officially start signing free agents. However, before the new year, there is a window for unrestricted free agents to contact teams to start negotiating. That time is considered the legal tampering period.

It appears the Dallas Cowboys are starting to clear up some money so they can be a participant in the pretty deep free agency market this upcoming season. There are a few players they mentioned wanting to keep around, so the move is not that surprising, but who they pay is a different story.

On Friday, Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News confirmed via Twitter that Donovan Wilson’s representative has been in contact with the Dallas front office, but there might be some hurdles to clear for him to return.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on Twitter: @whosnextsports1

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Dallas Cowboys looking to re-sign former Aggies Safety

Dallas Cowboys intent on trying to resign former Aggie safety this offseason

As teams are evaluating the new crop of talent entering the 2023 season, they are also looking at ways to keep their in-house contributors. The Cowboys had one of the better secondary groups in the country where Donovan Wilson produced one of the better seasons of his career.

While he didn’t specifically single out Wilson, Dallas Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones, stated the importance of keeping the current safety group together in a recent interview.

“It’s great to have all three of them. Obviously, a priority to keep them together. It will be one of our priorities.”

Wilson can essentially play all three safety positions but excels when coming downhill to put the brakes on anyone with the ball in their hands. He led the Cowboys in tackles (77) and led all defensive backs in the NFL in sacks (5).

Oct 8, 2016; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive back Donovan Wilson (6) in action during the game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Kyle Field. The Aggies defeat the Volunteers 45-38 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The former Texas A&M safety has worked his way into the starting lineup after being drafted in the sixth round and is due for a payday from one of 32 teams. Due to the Cowboy’s depth in the secondary, his skills could demand a higher price tag than the notoriously cheap front office might allow him to walk. I personally would love to see him remain in the Silver and Blue for the next 3-5 years I would he gets what he deserves and continues to have a productive career.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on Twitter: @whosnextsports1

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Safety Belt: Donovan Wilson presents free agency dilemma for Cowboys

Donovan Wilson could be seen as a luxury piece to the Cowboys given the depth at the safety position, but that may be a short-sighted view. @ReidDHanson breaks down the landscape.

Tis the season for tough decisions. NFL front offices like the Cowboys are in the process of evaluating their current rosters. With free agency roughly one month away, they are deciding which of their players figure into the future and which better represent the past. They’re setting values and budgets for soon-to-be free agents, both internal and external.

Like all front offices, Dallas knows they can’t afford to retain everyone and accept good players could be walking out the doors for reasons other than their play on the field. One of those players could very well be fifth-year safety Donovan Wilson.

Wilson, a former sixth-round pick from Texas A&M, has been a high impact, fan favorite over the years. His jaw-dropping hits have often served as a shot of adrenaline to the Dallas defense. Wilson’s five sacks from the safety position gave Dan Quinn a special weapon with which to work and elevated the Cowboys into one of the most dynamic defenses in 2022.

An unrestricted free agent and coming off his best season as a pro, Wilson hits the market with his value red hot. Can Dallas afford to re-sign him? Better question, can the Cowboys afford to lose him?

These 24 Cowboys are free agents in 2023

Here’s a look at the list of free agents Dallas has to decide on, from Dalton to Donovan, and the likelihood each would enter in the 2024 comp pick formula. | From @KDDrummondNFL

When you’re a team that focuses on re-signing your in-house talent thanks to your ability to draft extremely well, the list of pending free agents is always a long one. That list is then augmented by the series of one-year deals the front office hands out, hoping to finding lightning in a bottle to augment the long-term deals of those in house. That’s the case once again for the Dallas Cowboys.

In 2023 the Cowboys have 24 pending free agents of which the club will look to decide who they will try to bring back to the fold to add to their 49 players currently under contract. Dallas can work on deals with all of these guys over the next two months, but once the start of the new league year hits in March, most of these players can begin to negotiate with other teams and see where their true value lies.

Here’s a look at the list, as well as what we believe is the likelihood these players would figure into the comp pick formula should they ink a deal with another team. Comp picks are awarded based on whether or not a team lost more qualifying free agents than they signed, and the value is based on a formula largely dependent on the annual value of the new contract.

Houston Texans free agency: Player to consider from each NFL divisional playoff team

The Houston Texans should take a look at these upcoming free agents from the 2022 NFL divisional round.

The NFL divisional playoffs are here.

The last time the Houston Texans were in the divisional round was 2019, and that is about all the detail that Clutch City sports fans want with regards to that fact.

As the Texans add to their roster in 2023, they will need to look to free agency, not just to fill holes, but to find players who can make an impact.

Not every team in the divisional round will have an impact player about to hit free agency; some will have hold-the-fort guys. Even so, their addition to the roster is helpful.

Here is an upcoming free agent per team in the divisional round the Texans should consider in March. All salary cap figures are via Spotrac.

Eagles-Saints injury report: Miles Sanders among 4 to not practice, A.J. Brown listed as limited

The Philadelphia Eagles held a Wednesday walkthrough with Miles Sanders and Jalen Hurts among four players to not practice, while A.J. Brown and Jordan Davis were limited

The Eagles released their initial injury report for Sunday’s matchup against the Saints, and Miles Sanders was among four players to sit out practice.

Philadelphia participated in a walkthrough, so the injury report was an estimation, while A.J. Brown and Jordan Davis were limited participants.

Quarterback Jalen Hurts is pushing to play, but was a non-participant in Wednesday’s session, while the team awaits word on C.J. Gardner-Johnson. The star safety didn’t have his 21-day practice window activated, meaning he’ll miss another week.

Lane Johnson is delaying surgery on his injured abdominal in will rehab before returning for the playoffs.

Studs and duds from Eagles 40-34 loss to the Cowboys in Week 16

We’re looking at the Studs and duds from the Philadelphia Eagles’ 40-34 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 16

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The Eagles moved to 13-2 on the season after a Christmas Eve loss to the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium.

The Birds can still clinch the No. 1 seed – Philadelphia needs to win just one of the final two games to clinch the NFC East, the No. 1 seed, the first-round bye, and home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.

The Eagles are battered and a bit flustered after an ugly performance that was buoyed by four turnovers on offense, and an inability to get off the field on third downs as a defense.

DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown both went over 100 yards on the day but were overshadowed by CeeDee Lamb’s 10 catch, 120 yards, and 2 touchdown performance to carry the Dallas passing game.

Eagles’ PFF grades: Best and worst performers from 40-34 loss to the Cowboys

Here are the Best and worst PFF grades from the Philadelphia Eagles’40-34 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 16

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The Eagles moved to 13-2 on the season after a Christmas Eve loss to the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium.

The Birds can still clinch the No. 1 seed – Philadelphia needs to win just one of the final two games to clinch the NFC East, the No. 1 seed, the first-round bye, and home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.

The Eagles are battered and a bit flustered after an ugly performance that was buoyed by four turnovers on offense, and an inability to get off the field on third downs as a defense.

Gardner Minshew was 24-40 for 355 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions in place of an injured Jalen Hurts.

Minshew also had one rushing touchdown on the afternoon but was credited with one lost fumble as well.

With the team pivoting towards Week 17, here are the best and worst performers according to PFF.