Cowboys Re-Sign DT Carlos Watkins
The Cowboys are re-signing players from both sides of the ball. According to Clarence Hill Jr. (on Twitter), Dallas has re-signed defensive tackle Carlos Watkins and tight end Jeremy Sprinkle.
After spending the first four seasons of his career in Houston, Watkins joined the Cowboys last offseason. He ended up starting 14 of his 15 games last year, collecting 32 tackles, one sack, and one highlight-worthy pick-six.
In total, the 28-year-old has seen time in 57 career games, collecting five sacks and 14 tackles for loss.
Sprinkle also joined the Cowboys last offseason following four seasons with Washington. The tight end ended up starting four of his 17 games, hauling in three receptions for 31 yards. Sprinkle also had a consistent role on special teams. His best offensive season came in 2019 when he hauled in 26 receptions for 241 yards and one touchdown.
Michael Gallup Unlikely For Week 1
- Given a five-year, $57.5MM Cowboys contract, Michael Gallup is coming off an ACL tear sustained in Week 17. The fifth-year receiver is unlikely to be ready by Week 1, Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News tweets. Dallas is obviously looking at Gallup’s long-term trajectory, having jettisoned Amari Cooper to keep his former sidekick at a lower rate. But the team may need to stash Gallup on the PUP list or make him an active-roster non-participant to start the season, depending on his timetable.
Contract Details: Winston, Ward, Fournette, Conklin, Jones, Jewell, Vander Esch
Here are the latest details from recently agreed-upon contracts around the NFL:
- Charvarius Ward, CB (49ers): Three years, $40.5MM. Of Ward’s $26.7MM in guarantees, $12MM comes via a signing bonus, Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus tweets. The 49ers will keep Ward’s initial cap hit low, with his 2022 figure checking in at $3.8MM. That spikes to $16.3MM in 2023. Two void years are included in Ward’s deal, giving the 49ers a cap charge of $4.81MM in 2025.
- Jameis Winston, QB (Saints): Two years, $28MM. Winston received a $14MM signing bonus and has a $1.2MM fully guaranteed 2022 base salary, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes. $5.8MM of Winston’s $12.8MM 2023 base salary is presently guaranteed for injury; it will become fully guaranteed on Day 3 of the 2023 league year. Winston can earn up to $16MM in incentives, $8MM in each year, through team accomplishments — as long as Winston is the Saints’ primary starter — and participation rate.
- Leonard Fournette, RB (Buccaneers): Three years, $21MM. Along with a $4.5MM signing bonus, the Bucs fully guaranteed Fournette’s 2022 base salary ($2MM) and $2MM of his $6.5MM 2023 base, Florio notes. Another $2MM of that amount turns from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee next year. Fournette’s $6.5MM 2024 base is nonguaranteed. Among the deal’s $1.5MM in incentives, which only cover 2023 and 2024, Fournette can collect $250K for finishing a season in the top 15 in rushing yards and $500K for a top-10 rushing finish.
- Tyler Conklin, TE (Jets): Three years, $20.25MM. The Jets are guaranteeing Conklin $10MM, including $3.9MM of his 2023 base salary. Conklin’s cap hits go $3.4MM, $8.4MM, $8.4MM from 2022-24, Spielberger tweets.
- Ben Jones, C (Titans): Two years, $14MM. Jones will see $8MM guaranteed, which comes via $6.88MM signing bonus and a guaranteed $1.12MM 2022 base salary, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweets. Jones’ deal includes a $1MM roster bonus due on Day 5 of the 2023 league year. His 2023 base salary comes in at $5MM.
- Josey Jewell, LB (Broncos): Two years, $11MM. The Broncos guaranteed Jewell $6MM, which is present through a $4MM signing bonus and a $1.5MM 2022 base salary, Wilson tweets. His nonguaranteed 2023 base comes in at $4.49MM. An additional $1MM in incentives are also available for the four-year veteran.
- Leighton Vander Esch, LB (Cowboys): One year, $2MM. The Cowboys are guaranteeing $1.75MM and included an additional $1MM in playing-time incentives, Ari Meirov of PFF tweets.
Latest On LB Bobby Wagner
Bobby Wagner still hasn’t found a new home, but we’re learning some details about his suitors’ pursuits. Rams GM Les Snead admitted that the Rams “talked about” adding the veteran linebacker (via Michael J. Duarte on Twitter). The GM even met with the defensive coaching staff to break down tape and determine if Wagner would be a fit.
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard the Rams connected to Wagner; all of the NFC West teams were mentioned as suitors after the linebacker was let go by the Seahawks. The Broncos and Cowboys have also been connected to the 31-year-old.
Speaking of the Cowboys, Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News reports (on Twitter) that “no momentum exists” between Wagner and Dallas. Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is familiar with Wagner dating back from their days in Seattle, and according to Gehlken, the coach has been in contact with the player, who is serving as his own agent. While there is a “strong relationship” between the two, the reporter says a deal was considered “unlikely” and a “long shot” from the start.
Wagner started all three playoff games during the Seahawks Super Bowl-winning 2013 campaign, and he then proceeded to go on an eight-year run of Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections. During that stretch, Wagner averaged 145 tackles per season, and he left the organization as the Seahawks’ all-time leader in tackles. The 31-year-old was still productive in 2021, compiling a career-high 170 tackles to go along with three tackles for loss and three QB hits.
Cowboys Re-Sign P Bryan Anger
After it was thought he would be heading elsewhere, the Cowboys are set to retain their punter. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports (on Twitter) that Bryan Anger is signing a three-year, $9MM contract with Dallas. The punter received a $2.4MM signing bonus and will have a 2022 cap hit of $2.2MM, per ESPN’s Todd Archer (on Twitter). The team has confirmed the move. 
Anger, 33, joined the Cowboys on a one-year deal last season. He was actually one of the team’s final cuts before the season started, but they brought him back in time to play every game. The $3MM-per-season average of this contract is a sizeable raise from the $1.075MM he played for in 2021.
The Cal alum was a third round pick of the Jaguars in 2012. He played for four seasons in Jacksonville, leading the league in average yards per punt in 2014. That was followed by a three-year stint in Tampa Bay, where he was used less frequently but maintained a high degree of effectiveness and consistency. He spent 2019 and 2020 with the Texans.
This past campaign, Anger enjoyed a career year. He set a new personal mark in terms of punting average (48.4 yards). As well, he broke the Cowboys’ franchise record for net average at 44.6 yards per punt. That performance earned him his first career trip to the Pro Bowl, along with second team All-Pro honors.
From a financial standpoint, that led some to believe Anger would be on the move again. Before free agency began, Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News reported (via Twitter) that he was “unlikely to return to Dallas”. Now, however, the team has found the money to keep one of their best players from last year in the fold.
Cowboys Re-Sign S Jayron Kearse
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.
Cowboys TE Dalton Schultz Signs Franchise Tender
Dalton Schultz is officially locked in for next season. The Cowboys tight end has officially signed his franchise tender, per Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (on Twitter).
[RELATED: Cowboys Tag Dalton Schultz]
Schultz is now attached to a fully guaranteed $10.93MM for 2022, but the player and the Cowboys could rip up those numbers if they agree to a new long-term pact. The two sides had been working on an extension prior to the franchise tag deadline, and after the Cowboys slapped the tag on Schultz, there was still “strong interest” from both team and player to get an extension done.
In the last two seasons, Schultz has emerged as one of quarterback Dak Prescott‘s favorite and most dependable targets. He had a career year in 2021, posting 78 catches for 808 yards and eight touchdowns.
A Schultz extension would likely lower the tight end’s 2021 cap hit. That extra cash could be helpful as the Cowboys make runs at a number of notable free agents. Just in the past two days, the organization has been connected to Jason Pierre-Paul and Za’Darius Smith.
Cowboys Interested In Za’Darius Smith
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.
Cowboys Interested In Jason Pierre-Paul
After DE Randy Gregory elected to sign with the Broncos and leave the Cowboys at the altar, Dallas suddenly had a major pass-rushing void to fill. The team’s Von Miller pursuit was unsuccessful, so it pivoted to Dante Fowler, agreeing to terms with the former No. 3 overall pick earlier this week.
According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com, the Cowboys may not be done and may be considering multiple additions to their contingent of edge defenders (Twitter link). Specifically, Fowler reports that Dallas is interested in free agent Jason Pierre-Paul.
Now 33, JPP has long been one of the best pass rushers in the game. Selected by the Giants in the first round of the 2010 draft, he earned two Pro Bowl nods and a First Team All-Pro selection during his time with Big Blue, which shipped him to the Buccaneers in a March 2018 trade. Over his first three seasons in Tampa, Pierre-Paul averaged over 10 sacks per year, and he secured a third Pro Bowl berth in 2020, the Bucs’ championship-winning campaign.
The 2021 season, however, represented a step back for Pierre-Paul. Hampered by a broken finger and a torn rotator cuff that required offseason surgery, he managed just 31 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and one forced fumble in 12 contests. That was a disappointing platform year, and it could explain why this is the first time we have heard of interest in his services.
On the other hand, the addition of a player like Pierre-Paul to a group of QB hunters that also includes DeMarcus Lawrence — who recently agreed to a new contract — Fowler, and Micah Parsons would help to soften the blow of Gregory’s defection. However, Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News cautions that nothing is imminent with respect to JPP at this time (Twitter link).
After Za’Darius Smith agreed to terms with the Ravens, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reported (via Twitter) that Dallas had discussions with Smith. Now that the two-time Pro Bowler pulled a Gregory and chose not to reunite with Baltimore, the Cowboys could circle back to him, but that is only speculation at this point.
Cowboys, DE Dante Fowler Agree To Deal
Linked to acclaimed edge rushers in free agency, the Cowboys made their move at the position Friday. They are signing former top-five pick Dante Fowler, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).
This will reunite Fowler and Dan Quinn, who was the head coach in Atlanta when Fowler signed with the Falcons in 2020. The two did not stay together long, with the Falcons firing Quinn early that season. This stands to be a higher-profile partnership. It’s a one-year deal, per ProFootballNetwork.com’s Aaron Wilson (on Twitter).
[RELATED: Cowboys To Re-Sign DL Dorance Armstrong]
Fowler’s production has yo-yoed during his seven-year career. He helped the Jaguars’ “Sacksonville” defense reach the 2017 AFC championship game and was a starter in Super Bowl LIII for the Rams, after a midseason trade. Fowler timed his initial contract year well, producing 11.5 sacks alongside Aaron Donald in 2019. That led to a big-ticket Falcons deal, one the team ended up regretting.
Fowler played 14 games in each of the past two seasons but did not top 4.5 sacks in either. The Falcons adjusted his three-year contract and released him earlier this offseason, allowing an early trip to the market for a player who was already on track for free agency. The Cowboys’ edge plans changed abruptly this week, when Randy Gregory backtracked on an agreement due to guarantee-forfeiture language in his contract. Gregory is now in Denver. The Cowboys pursued Von Miller as well, but a big Bills offer steered the future Hall of Famer to western New York.
Pairing with DeMarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons stands to be a strong opportunity for Fowler to re-establish his value during his age-28 season. After his two down Atlanta years, the former No. 3 overall pick is running out of time to do so.