The Cowboys have been connected to a host of pass rushers over the past week, and despite the team agreeing to terms with Dante Fowler, another addition here appears in play.
Linked to Jason Pierre-Paul on Sunday, the Cowboys have also engaged in discussions with Za’Darius Smith. Those talks were believed to have occurred before Smith’s since-nixed Ravens deal. But Dallas remains interested in the again-available edge defender, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com notes.
The NFC East champions are making a push for Smith to be Randy Gregory‘s replacement, Wilson adds, pointing to the team not intending to give Fowler that starting role just yet. Dallas’ $26MM-plus in cap space ranks near the top of the NFL.
Smith backed out of a four-year, $35MM Ravens agreement. That development pointed to the ex-Packers Pro Bowler having a more lucrative option on the radar. While Gregory did have an immediate backup plan, signing with the Broncos, Smith remains a free agent days after his agreement fell through. The former Ravens draftee is coming off a season in which a back injury limited him to two games, which made the Baltimore agreement a seemingly nice parachute for the cap casualty.
Dallas has signed Fowler to a one-year deal and re-signed Dorance Armstrong to a two-year, $13MM pact. Smith’s stature would certainly point to the Cowboys making him DeMarcus Lawrence‘s top edge partner, with Fowler and Armstrong in rotational roles, should the Cowboys finalize an agreement. Prior to his injury-marred 2021, Smith combined for 26 sacks from 2019-20. Smith, who was also linked to the Chiefs weeks ago, will turn 30 in September.
Haha It would he wild if he played himself and gets a worse deal. We shall see.
Big sour grapes energy
Packers are still paying him like $12mil if not more soo any team that signs him it will be no more than 8mil/yr.. Its all about his health at his age. He missed all of last yr due to his back..
Starting to wonder if the deal fell through because of medical issues.