The Cowboys exercised the fifth-year team option on Parsons' rookie contract Wednesday, Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News reports.
Per Gehlken, the star edge rusher will earn $21.32 million in 2025, but that salary may only serve as a placeholder before Parsons and the Cowboys are able to work out what's expected to be a lavish long-term deal. The 24-year-old is coming off another productive effort with the Cowboys in 2023, as he racked up 64 tackles and a career-high 14 sacks in 17 regular-season outings.
... See More... See Less
Cowboys' Mazi Smith: Rehabbing from shoulder surgery
Rotowire
Smith is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery and is expected to be ready for training camp, Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News reports.
Smith underwent the surgery shortly after the end of the 2023 season, and a four-to-six month recovery timeline puts him on track for training camp in July. The 2023 first-round pick only handled a depth role as a rookie, suiting up for all 17 games but playing just 287 defensive snaps.
... See More... See Less
Seahawks' Johnathan Hankins: Moves to Seattle
Rotowire
Hankins signed a contract with the Seahawks on Tuesday, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
Hankins spent last season in Dallas, starting 14 regular-season games and racking up 27 tackles (13 solo), including 3.0 sacks. His presence should strengthen Seattle's defensive line against the run in 2024.
... See More... See Less
Leighton Vander Esch: Announces retirement from NFL
Rotowire
Vander Esch (neck) announced his retirement from the NFL on Monday, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports.
Vander Esch, a 2018 first-round pick, earned a Pro Bowl selection and second-team All-Pro honors, but he now retires from the NFL after six seasons after having been released by the Cowboys last week. Injuries disrupted the promising linebacker's career, including the 2023 campaign, in which he missed the final 12 games due to a recurring neck issue. Vander Esch retires with 71 regular-season appearances, 469 total tackles, 3.5 sacks, 13 passes defensed and three forced fumbles under his belt and as a forever 'what-if' for Cowboys fans imagining scenarios wherein the Boise State product had managed to stay healthier.
... See More... See Less
Commanders' Noah Igbinoghene: Signs with Washington
Rotowire
Igbinoghene signed a contract with the Commanders on Sunday, John Keim of ESPN.com reports.
Iginoghene had an underwhelming first four years of his career. After tallying 29 tackles and five passes defended over 32 regular-season games with Miami, the 2020 first-round pick was traded to Dallas ahead of the 2023 regular season. He never managed to carve out a significant role with the Cowboys, primarily playing on special teams across five appearances with the team. Igbinogene will now follow former Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn to Washington.
... See More... See Less
Leighton Vander Esch: Cut by Dallas
Rotowire
The Cowboys released Vander Esch (neck) with a failed physical designation Friday, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports.
The 2018 first-round pick missed the final 12 games of the Cowboys' season in 2023 due to a neck issue, and he's now been cut loose with a failed physical designation. Vander Esch has missed three-plus games in four of his six years in the NFL, appearing in 71 of Dallas' 99 games during that span. The 28-year-old linebacker is now free to sign with another team once he moves past his neck injury.
... See More... See Less
Cowboys' C.J. Goodwin: Returning to Dallas
Rotowire
The Cowboys re-signed Goodwin (pectoral) on a one-year deal Thursday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Goodwin sustained a torn pectoral in early October that forced him to miss all but five of the Cowboys' games in 2023, but it seems as if he's now past the issue. The 34-year-old cornerback was used almost exclusively on special teams last season, playing a total of 102 snaps (86 on special teams) and recording four total tackles. Expect Goodwin to compete for a similar role in Dallas' special-teams unit this offseason.
... See More... See Less
Cowboys' Jourdan Lewis: Gets new deal
Rotowire
Lewis re-signed with the Cowboys on a one-year contract Thursday, Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News reports.
Lewis officially became a free agent Wednesday, but it took less than 24 hours for the Michigan product to re-up with his old team. Selected in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft, Lewis has spent all seven seasons of his career with Dallas and is now set to remain with the Cowboys for at least an eighth season. The 28-year-old bounced back in 2023 from an injury-shortened 2022 campaign due to a Lisfranc injury to record 52 tackles (36 solo), five pass breakups, one interception, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries across 16 regular-season games.
... See More... See Less
Dolphins' Neville Gallimore: Makes deal with Miami
Rotowire
The Dolphins will sign Gallimore, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Gallimore spent the first four seasons of his career in Dallas after being selected by the Cowboys in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He'll now swap conferences and likely slot into a rotational role in Miami that will be similar to the one he filled with the Cowboys.
... See More... See Less
Commanders' Dante Fowler: Switching NFC East teams
Rotowire
Fowler is slated to sign with the Commanders, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.
Fowler will join the migration of Cowboys defenders joining new Commanders head coach Dan Quinn in Washington. The 29-year-old spent the last two seasons in Dallas, not missing a single game and recording 10.0 sacks in the process. He should bolster the team's depth on the edges next season.
... See More... See Less
Commanders' Dorance Armstrong: Moving to Washington
Rotowire
Armstrong is slated to sign with the Commanders on Wednesday, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
Armstrong's deal is expected to be worth a max of $45 million over three years, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. The 26-year-old will remain in the NFC East and continue playing under Dan Quinn, but he'll ultimately be changing addresses in 2024. The Kansas product has spent all six NFL seasons in Dallas and recorded a career-high 38 combined tackles last season while adding 7.5 sacks, which was second on the team to Micah Parsons in 2023.
... See More... See Less
Cowboys' Johnathan Hankins: Starts 14 games for Dallas
Rotowire
Hankins racked up 27 tackles (13 solo), including 3.0 sacks, and two pass breakups across 14 regular-season appearances with the Cowboys in 2023.
Hankins missed three games down the stretch due to a high-ankle sprain, and he otherwise was unspectacular for Dallas while on the field. Now a pending unrestricted free agent and heading into his age-32 season, Hankins isn't necessarily a lock to secure another starting role for the 2024 campaign. His best prospects might be to re-sign with the Cowboys on a team-friendly deal.
... See More... See Less
Cowboys' Malik Hooker: Reliable again in 2023
Rotowire
Hooker racked up 50 tackles (27 solo), three pass breakups, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery across 16 regular-season games with the Cowboys.
Hooker has stayed mostly healthy across three seasons with Dallas and in that span ingratiated himself as one of the key members of the team's three-man safety rotation, alongside Jayron Kearse and Donovan Wilson. Hooker looks set for a similar role in the Cowboys secondary for the 2024 campaign, after which the team will have a potential 'out' from the 27-year-old's contract.
... See More... See Less
Cowboys' Jourdan Lewis: Free agency ahead
Rotowire
Lewis recorded 52 tackles (36 solo), five pass breakups, one interception, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries across 16 regular-season games with the Cowboys in 2023.
Lewis missed Week 1 after sitting out all of training camp and the preseason while recovering from a Lisfranc injury, but he then appeared in all remaining 16 regular-season games for Dallas, operating as the backup to DaRon Bland and Stephon Gilmore. Now a pending unrestricted free agent, Lewis will likely have to search for a similar backup role elsewhere in the league.
... See More... See Less
Cowboys' Stephon Gilmore: Has shoulder surgery
Rotowire
Gilmore (shoulder) had surgery after the Cowboys' season ended, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports.
The 12th-year veteran is set to become a free agent, and he will likely need 4-to-6 months to recover, per Archer. At the same time, Gilmore should be available for training camp. The cornerback made a career-best 68 tackles in 2023 to go along with 13 passes defensed, two interceptions and a forced fumble.
... See More... See Less
Cowboys' Sam Williams: Teases upside in 2023
Rotowire
Williams recorded 26 tackles (15 solo) including 4.5 sacks while adding a forced fumble over 17 regular-season games in 2023.
A second-round pick in 2022, Williams split his time between the pass rush and punt-blocking duties, seeing 287 snaps on defense and 295 on special teams, and he made an impact in each area. The Ole Miss product hasn't had a chance to really shine as an edge rusher yet in the NFL, but his time could be coming in 2024. Dorance Armstrong, who piled up 16.0 sacks over the last two seasons, will likely depart in free agency, leaving a vacancy as the primary pass-rushing complement to Micah Parsons.
... See More... See Less
Cowboys' Dorance Armstrong: Another productive campaign
Rotowire
Armstrong recorded 38 tackles (20 solo) including 7.5 sacks with a pass defended over 17 regular-season games in 2023.
The 26-year-old defensive end finished second on the Cowboys in sacks behind Micah Parsons' 14.0, taking full advantage of all the attention his All-Pro teammate received. Armstrong has emerged as a solid complementary piece in the Dallas pass rush, racking up 21.0 sacks over the last three campaigns and not missing a game over the last two, and he's set up for a big payday as a free agent this offseason.
... See More... See Less
Cowboys' DeMarcus Lawrence: Quiet season off edge
Rotowire
Lawrence recorded 50 tackles (29 solo) including 4.0 sacks while adding six passes defended and a forced fumble over 17 regular-season games in 2023.
The veteran defensive end played every game for the second straight campaign, but Lawrence just doesn't have the ability to get to the quarterback the way he used to. He would carry a dead cap hit of over $20 million if he were released this offseason, so Lawrence will likely return to Dallas in 2024, but he's nothing more than a depth piece in a pass rush led by Micah Parsons at this stage of his career.
Bland recorded 69 tackles (53 solo) and added a league-high nine interceptions -- including an NFL record five pick-sixes -- on 15 passes defended over 17 regular-season games in 2023.
The Cowboys lost Trevon Diggs in Week 2 to ACL surgery, forcing Bland into the top coverage corner role on the defense, but the 2022 fifth-round pick thrived with the additional responsibilities. Diggs should be healthy to begin 2024, but the ball-hawking reputations of both CBs could be put to the test if defensive coordinator Dan Quinn leaves in the offseason, forcing Bland to learn a new scheme for the first time in his career.
... See More... See Less
Cowboys' Stephon Gilmore: Career-best tackle total in 2023
Rotowire
Gilmore recorded a career-high 68 tackles (54 solo) while adding two interceptions on 13 passes defended plus a forced fumble over 17 regular-season games in 2023.
The 33-year-old cornerback showed he still has plenty left in the tank while not missing a game for the first time since 2019. Gilmore is a free agent this offseason and isn't guaranteed to be back in Dallas, as the Cowboys have younger options in DaRon Bland and Trevon Diggs (knee) to handle the starting jobs on the outside, but the veteran's savvy and coverage skills should still give him plenty of suitors.
