Jayron Kearse will be back in Dallas next season. The versatile safety is re-signing with the Cowboys, reports Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News (on Twitter).
It’s a two-year, $10MM deal with a max value of $11MM, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (on Twitter). The deal includes $5MM in guaranteed money, per Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (on Twitter).
After joining the Cowboys on a one-year deal last offseason, the 28-year-old had a breakout season in 2021. Kearse finished the campaign having started 15 of his 16 games, finishing with 101 tackles, one sack, 10 passes defended, and two interceptions. The defensive back’s size and speed means Cowboys DC Dan Quinn can utilize him all over the field, and the coaching staff is a big reason why the player wanted to stick around Dallas.
“I know Coach Q[uinn] believes in me,” Kearse said (via Gehlken on Twitter). “I know my DB coach believes in me. Everyone in the building believes in me.“
Despite the mutual respect, it took the two sides a while to agree to a new contract. When fellow breakout defender Dorance Armstrong inked his new deal with the Cowboys last week, we heard that the team and Kearse weren’t close on a deal. The two sides apparently worked through the weekend to get the deal done, and now the veteran will be staying with the Cowboys.
A former seventh-round pick, Kearse spent four seasons with the Vikings to start his career before spending the majority of the 2020 campaign with the Lions.