Jerry Jones recently hinted at more defensive line additions coming; the Cowboys appear to be following through on that. They are preparing to give Linval Joseph a shot to play a 15th NFL season.
The experienced D-lineman is signing with the Cowboys, veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson tweets. Joseph spent last season with the Bills, playing in seven games. This is earlier than Joseph caught on with teams over the past two years. He signed with Buffalo in November 2023 and joined Philadelphia’s Super Bowl LVII team in November 2022.
[RELATED: Cowboys Acquire DT Jordan Phillips From Giants]
Joseph will do better than he did with Buffalo or Philly, though that should perhaps be understandable since Dallas is giving him a full-season deal rather than a prorated arrangement. According to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo, the Cowboys are signing Joseph to a one-year deal with $2.5MM guaranteed. Joseph can earn up to $4MM on the contract.
This will reunite Joseph with former Vikings HC Mike Zimmer. The Vikings added Joseph in free agency during Zimmer’s first offseason as HC and employed him for six seasons. Joseph started 88 games under Zimmer. While the former second-round pick was part of the Giants’ Super Bowl XLVI-winning team back in 2011, his most notable NFL period came in Minnesota under Zimmer. With the Vikes featuring little QB continuity, Joseph was part of three Zimmer-led playoff teams during that span.
More of a rotational DT-for-hire at this point in his career, Joseph is now on team No. 6. While he worked exclusively as a Bills backup, the former Giants and Vikings regular was a full-time starter during his Eagles stint. Philly’s NFC championship team turned to the big man for eight regular-season starts and three in the playoffs that season, doing so despite not adding him until Nov. 16.
Last season, Joseph played 35% of the Bills’ defensive snaps (during his time with the team). Prior to his two rental years in the northeast, Joseph was attached to notable Chargers and Vikings contracts. The veteran run stuffer inked two Vikings deals — the second a four-year, $50.35MM pact — and landed a two-year, $17MM Chargers accord ahead of his age-32 season. Joseph will turn 36 in October, but the Cowboys will see if he can help their effort.
The Cowboys had been adding defensive ends as of late, with Carl Lawson the latest in the team’s effort to cover for Sam Williams‘ season-ending injury. The team traded for 2023 Joseph-teammate Phillips last week. The 30-somethings join 2023 first-rounder Mazi Smith and contract-year DT Osa Odighizuwa among Dallas’ interior stoppers. The team has certainly prioritized bulk as of late, with Zimmer presumably concerned about his run defense ahead of his first NFL season since being fired as Minnesota’s HC.
As a Bills fan I’m not sure why he didn’t play over someone like Jordan Phillips ♂️ wish we used him more
Everyone loves Linval.
Linval Joseph? From Cameroon???
Yuck.
You know, considering what’s available and what this will cost Dallas, this is a great signing to address, in some part, an area of need. Now, Joseph may not have much left to give on the field (a man his size needs a lot to stay useful on the field at his age) at this point in his career, but the chance that he could contribute a fraction of his former production is worth finding out at this price. If he’s released, the Cowboys won’t be out much. If he makes a few tackles or a sack, as he did in Buffalo, then they got what they needed.
At this point in the schedule, there aren’t many options available who can offer much to help shore up any areas of need, and certainly not many with any real history of production. The Cowboys might as well see if Joseph can recapture any of his form in limited action. Most guys available now probably won’t log many statistics at all, or will cost capitol to acquire. It’s a minor move, but I’d also say that the minor moves are the easiest to under appreciate.
Yea, great signing for Dallas. Just hate to see my guy in that uniform.