Since coming off the board in the sixth round of the 2019 draft, safety Donovan Wilson has been a career-long Cowboy. A trip to free agency awaits Wilson in the next few weeks, but the seven-year veteran hopes to stay in Dallas, Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News reports.
Wilson, who will turn 31 on Saturday, had a brief foray into free agency in March 2023. The Cowboys quickly brought Wilson back on a three-year, $24MM deal. It’s unknown if the Cowboys will act in a similar fashion with Wilson this year. Watkins casts doubt on Wilson’s future in Dallas, contending the team should get younger at safety.
Although Wilson may end up elsewhere in 2026, the Cowboys continued to heavily rely on him last season. He was a full-time starter for the fourth straight year, and his 83.2% snap share led their defense.
Over 15 starts, Wilson put up 71 tackles, two interceptions and five passes defensed. But Pro Football Focus ranked Wilson’s performance an unattractive 83rd among 91 qualifying safeties. His 38.8 grade in coverage checked in at an even worse 87th. The Cowboys, whose defense finished last against the pass and allowed the most points in the league, may want to upgrade. New defensive coordinator Christian Parker might see better fits in the draft or in a fairly deep group of free agent safeties.
Unlike Wilson, fellow Cowboys starting safety Malik Hooker is under contract for 2026. However, depending on how Parker feels about the soon-to-be 30-year-old, the Cowboys could release him, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. Escaping the last year of Hooker’s contract would free up around $6.8MM in cap space.
Hooker, a nine-year veteran, played his fifth season as a Cowboy in 2025. A toe injury forced him to IR, limiting him to 12 games (all starts), and he failed to register a pick for the first time since 2020. Hooker came in 64th in PFF’s safety rankings, though it at least assigned him an impressive 82.9 grade against the run. He finished seventh among safeties in that department, but it may not be enough for the Cowboys to retain him.
If the Cowboys move on from Hooker and Wilson, it would leave Markquese Bell as their most proven safety. Also an experienced linebacker, the Cowboys re-signed Bell to a three-year pact last March. He went on to play his second 17-game campaign and pick off his first career pass in 2025. Bell was only in on 32% percent of defensive snaps (third behind Wilson and Hooker), but a bigger role could be in store next season if the Cowboys part with their veteran starters.
Sorry DW, but for the sake of the defense you need to go..Backup? Special Teams? I can see that. He looks so lost all tf time. Malik is not terrible. The problem is he wasn’t even average this year. Can Christian Parker get the best version of him? Rn paycut if he wants to stay, if not time to move on. 2 starting safeties that would be needing to replace. Still need another cb too. Geeesh, front office has some work to do.