Cowboys To Sign George Iloka
The Cowboys have agreed to a one-year deal with free agent safety George Iloka, ESPN’s Todd Archer reports [Twitter link]. 
Expected to be in on the Earl Thomas sweepstakes, the Cowboys instead opted for the versatile Iloka, who is capable of playing both safety spots. Iloka marked the third safety to visit with the team this offseason, after Clayton Geathers, who rejoined the Colts, and former Chiefs All-Pro Eric Berry.
Archer mentions the Cowboys are concerned about their depth at the position, which Iloka’s ability to play both positions will greatly impact. It remains to be seen if Iloka will wrestle a starting spot away from either Jeff Heath or Xavier Woods. Iloka also caught the Cowboys’ attention this past offseason before he decided to sign with the Vikings after beginning his career with the Bengals.
A longtime starter in Cincinnati after being tabbed with a fifth-round pick in 2012, Iloka transitioned into a reserve role in 2018 with the Vikings, where he registered 16 tackles and a forced fumble. During his run with the Bengals, the Boise State product registered nine interceptions and made 446 tackles in six seasons.
One-year deals are the theme of the offseason for the Cowboys, who have now added Iloka to Randall Cobb, Kerry Hyder, Christian Covington, Cameron Fleming, Tavon Austin and Jason Witten among players who have taken a one-year offers.
Iloka continues the Cowboys recent fixation with Boise State products. He joins defensive linemen Tyrone Crawford and Demarcus Lawrence, linebacker Leighton Vander Esch and new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore to play for the Broncos.
George Iloka Unlikely To Return To Vikings
George Iloka has been relatively busy as a free agent, but it sounds like he won’t be returning to Minnesota. Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News in Minnesota reports (via Twitter) that while the two sides met at the combine, it’s unlikely the safety returns to the Vikings.
Iloka has met with the Cowboys and Raiders this offseason, with his ability to play both free and strong safety making him a commodity. David Moore of the Dallas Morning News writes that the 28-year-old ultimately left Dallas without a deal, and we can assume the same about his previous visit with Oakland.
Iloka was a starter for the bulk of his career with the Bengals, but played mostly in a reserve role for the Vikings last year. In 16 games (three starts), the defensive back compiled 16 tackles and one forced fumble. However, he’s only one year removed from an 80-tackle campaign.
Wolfson also notes that the Vikings have not extended an offer to free agent wideout Aldrick Robinson, and the team is looking for other options at receiver. Robinson finished last season with 17 receptions for 231 yards and five scores.
Cowboys To Meet With George Iloka
George Iloka‘s free agent tour continues. After meeting with the Raiders on Wednesday, he’ll travel to visit the Cowboys on Friday, according to ESPN.com’s Todd Archer (on Twitter).
Iloka, who played for the Vikings last year, previously had a six-year run with the Bengals. Meanwhile, he’s the third safety to meet with the Cowboys since the start of free agency. Earlier, Dallas huddled up with Clayton Geathers (who has since re-signed with the Colts) and Eric Berry.
In the safety hierarchy, Iloka is closer to Geathers than Berry. He has nine interceptions for his career and 79 starts to his credit, but has never been named to a Pro Bowl. Still, Iloka could be a low-cost upgrade to a secondary that could use the extra support.
Iloka can play free or strong safety and wouldn’t be a costly addition for the Cowboys. Last summer, he settled for a one-year, minimum salary agreement with the Vikings and started in only three games, so it’s hard to see him commanding a significant pay bump.
Contract Details: Nsekhe, Anderson, Dorsett
Let’s take a look at the details of a few recently-signed NFL contracts:
- Ty Nsekhe, T (Bills): Two years, $9MM. $6.7MM guaranteed. $2MM signing bonus. $1.5MM available annually in playtime incentives. $1.5MM playtime escalator in 2020 (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle).
- Henry Anderson, DL (Jets): Three years, $25.2MM. $17MM guaranteed. $1.75MM available via annual incentives. $850K sacks-based escalator in 2020 and 2021 (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Phillip Dorsett, WR (Patriots): One year, $2.6MM. $500K signing bonus. $600K in per-game roster bonuses (Twitter link via Field Yates of ESPN.com).
- Ereck Flowers, T (Redskins): One year, $3.25MM. $1.5MM guaranteed. $750K in playtime incentive (Twitter link via Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com).
- Mike Iupati, G (Seahawks): One year, $2.75MM. $2.25MM guaranteed. $1.25MM signing bonus. $500K in per-game roster bonuses. $500K available via playtime incentives (Twitter link via Brady Henderson of ESPN.com).
- Terrence Brooks, S (Patriots): Two years, $3.25MM. $1.305MM guaranteed. $500K signing bonus. Playtime bonuses available in 2019 and 2020 (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Jordan Matthews, WR (49ers): One year, $1.8MM. $300K signing bonus (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of NFL.com).
- Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB (Redskins): One year, minimum salary benefit. No guaranteed money (Twitter link via Pelissero).
- Jamize Olawale, FB (Cowboys): Three years, $5.4MM. $2.8MM guaranteed. $1.8MM signing bonus. 2021-2022 are option years that must be exercised prior to end of 2020 league year (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Brent Qvale, OL (Jets): One year, $1.4MM. $550K guaranteed. $1MM in incentives (Twitter link via Brian Costello of the New York Post).
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/20/19
Today’s minor moves:
Chicago Bears
- Re-signed: QB Tyler Bray
Dallas Cowboys
- Re-signed: LS L.P. Ladouceur
- Signed: LS Drew Scott
Denver Broncos
- Waived: WR Jimmy Williams
Green Bay Packers
- Signed exclusive rights tender: G Lucas Patrick
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed ERFA tender: LS Luke Rhodes
Los Angeles Chargers
- Re-signed: WR Geremy Davis
New York Giants
- Re-signed: LB Nate Stupar
New York Jets
- Re-signed: TE Eric Tomlinson
East Notes: Cowboys, Crawford, Jets, Bills
The latest from the AFC and NFC East divisions:
- Cowboys defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford was caught on camera brawling inside of a Florida bar, as TMZ details. The 6’4″, 280-pound lineman is shown fighting off four bouncers at once and holding his own. Then, the fight spilled outside, where Crawford got tangled up with multiple cops. Interestingly, Crawford was not arrested and has not been charged with a crime. However, the NFL might have something to say about the incident. After losing Randy Gregory and David Irving to indefinite bans, the Cowboys can ill afford to lose anyone else on the D-Line for the start of the 2019 season.
- Center was a major need for the Jets this offseason, but they did not make offers to Mitch Morse or Matt Paradis, the top two centers in this year’s free agent class (via Manish Mehta of the Daily News). Instead, they re-upped Jonotthan Harrison on a two-year deal with the hope that he can compete with other versatile interior line additions to come. Brett Jones, who has drawn interest from the Jets and a quintet of other clubs, could be added to the mix.
- Seahawks free agent Maurice Alexander, a longtime starter for the Rams, will visit the Bills on Thursday and Friday, a source tells NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter).
Robert Quinn Leaves Cowboys Visit, To Meet With Saints
With the Dolphins’ permission, Robert Quinn looks to be on his way to meet with another team. After his Cowboys meeting concluded, Quinn is on his way to visit the Saints, Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets.
The Cowboys are not yet close on an agreement to acquire the Dolphins defensive end, Calvin Watkins of The Athletic adds (on Twitter). The Saints expressed interest in Quinn earlier Tuesday.
The Dolphins are willing to eat some of Quinn’s salary, which as of now is $11.8MM in 2019, in order to acquire a draft choice for the veteran defensive end. New Orleans holds just more than $19MM in cap space but will almost certainly not be paying all of Quinn’s salary, in the event a trade agreement is reached.
New Orleans lost Alex Okafor to Kansas City but still has Marcus Davenport in line to be Cameron Jordan‘s edge sidekick. Quinn would likely be a rotational presence. Hybrid defensive lineman Mario Edwards also signed with the Saints last week.
Although he is not on the same level he was when he earned All-Pro acclaim in St. Louis, with a 19-sack season that included seven forced fumbles, Quinn still has compiled 15 sacks over the past two seasons. Both the Saints and Cowboys use a 4-3 defense, which has been where Quinn has been the most productive in his eight-year career. Despite Quinn entering his ninth season, he will only be 29 by Week 1.
Cowboys To Sign Randall Cobb
A high-end auxiliary wide receiver will be coming to Dallas. The Cowboys agreed to terms Tuesday with Randall Cobb, Jay Glazer of The Athletic tweets. Cobb will sign a one-year, $5MM deal, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).
Cobb visited the Cowboys on Monday and will join the Amari Cooper-fronted receiving corps. This will provide Dak Prescott with a proven complementary target. This move figures to be about replacing slot receiver Cole Beasley, who defected to Buffalo despite considering a return to Dallas. It also gives the Cowboys a more complete receiving corps.
Cobb will join a pass-catching corps that includes 2018 third- and sixth-round picks Michael Gallup and Cedrick Wilson, along with 2017 seventh-rounder Noah Brown and the recently unretired Jason Witten. Allen Hurns is also set to be back in the mix, despite a season-ending injury and minimal production during his first Cowboys campaign. Tavon Austin is in line to return, too, making for an interesting mix of talent vying to form Cooper’s sidekick crew.
His 2018 season shortened by injury, Cobb surpassed 600 yards each year from 2014-17. While he did not quite live up to the four-year, $40MM deal he signed with the Packers in 2015, Green Bay kept him around throughout that contract. And despite being set for his ninth NFL season, the former second-round pick is only 28.
For his career, Cobb has caught 41 touchdown passes and has accumulated more than 5,500 receiving yards. Beasley, 29, has just two 600-plus-yard seasons — including one last year. Cobb has five, and given Cooper’s status and the Cowboys’ reliance on Ezekiel Elliott, the longtime Packers cog will not be expected to produce as much as he was under the terms of his previous pact.
Cowboys Meet With Dolphins’ Robert Quinn
The Dolphins are shopping Robert Quinn and it sounds like they already have one potential suitor. The defensive end is on his way to visit the Cowboys, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears.
[RELATED: Cowboys To Meet With Eric Berry]
Clubs have to give their blessing before a contracted player can visit another club, so Miami has given Quinn the greenlight to talk with Jerry Jones & Co. If the two sides are comfortable with one another, this could be the precursor to a deal.
Quinn has one year remaining on the contract he initially signed with the Rams. As it stands, Quinn is set to carry an $11.8MM cap number for the upcoming season, but none of the money coming to him is guaranteed. It’s possible that the Cowboys will ask Quinn to take a pay cut in exchange for some cost certainty in 2019. An extension may also be in the cards, though that could be tricky given Quinn’s decline in production.
Quinn had just 6.5 sacks in 2018, but he did tie for 20th among DEs with 24 quarterback hits. Pro Football Focus, meanwhile, assigned Quinn the 19th-highest pass-rush grade among 103 qualifying edge rushers. And, he’s entering his age-29 season, so he has plenty of football left.
The Cowboys tagged Demarcus Lawrence earlier this month, but the star edge defender has said in the past that he will not sign a one-year tender. Meanwhile, Randy Gregory and David Irving have both been hit with indefinite suspensions, so the Cowboys are in desperate need of help on the D-Line.
Cowboys To Host Malik McDowell
The Cowboys are setting up visits left and right, and they are scheduled to meet with DT Malik McDowell tomorrow, as Todd Archer of ESPN.com tweets.
McDowell, 22, was the 35th overall pick of the 2017 draft, and the Seahawks selected him with the belief that he could become a regular along their defensive line. But he was involved in an ATV accident in the summer of 2017, and he has never played a down in the NFL.
Nonetheless, his youth and draft pedigree suggested that there would be at least a couple of teams willing to give him a shot, and the Cowboys are one of those teams. McDowell tallied 24.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks in 32 games at Michigan State, and Dallas could see him as a backup to Tyrone Crawford or Antwaun Woods, especially now that David Irving is out of the picture.