Cowboys Inquired On Jeremy Maclin
- Jeremy Maclin is without a team for the second time in two years. One of the wide receiver’s former employers did some work on him recently, however. The Eagles inquired on the nine-year veteran, per Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter), adding the Cowboys did the same. However, both have signed other wideouts. The Eagles added Mike Wallace, and the Cowboys signed both Allen Hurns and Deonte Thompson. Maclin played for the Eagles from 2009-14 before signing with the Chiefs. The Chiefs and Ravens cut him in consecutive offseasons. He will turn 30 next month. Anderson adds Maclin is currently training in Baltimore and Philadelphia.
Cameron Fleming To Get Look At G
- Jason Garrett emphasized a preference for getting his best five linemen on the field and praised La’el Collins‘ versatility. With Cameron Fleming now in the fold for the Cowboys, this line of thinking would seemingly point to Collins returning to left guard. But he said Sunday he would prefer to stay at right tackle. “One of the things we want to do is always try to play our five best guys,” Garrett said, via Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “A big part of that beyond just who are the best is try to put them in the best place for them individually and the best place for them collectively. His versatility is going to help us.” Hill adds that Fleming, who played right tackle for the Patriots, will also get a look at guard. But he has less guard experience than Collins, who was an interior lineman from 2015-16.
- Courtland Sutton has already visited the Cowboys and will add another NFC East team to his meetings itinerary Tuesday. The SMU wide receiver will meet with the Eagles in Philadelphia, Geoff Mosher of 97.5 The Fan reports (on Twitter). New Eagles WRs coach Gunter Brewer spent time with Sutton at the Mustangs’ pro day, Mosher tweets.
Dez Bryant Decision Coming Soon?
Dez Bryant remains on the Cowboys‘ roster, but a decision about his contract could come soon. Jason Garrett said Sunday night he has not yet met with Bryant and doesn’t know if Jerry Jones has either this offseason, per Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk. While Garrett was concise in his Bryant response, Williams writes that a Bryant decision — one that recently was said to lack a clear timetable — sounds like it’s coming soon. Garrett wants this resolved quickly, per Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (on Twitter).
Obviously not a firm commitment to the player that’s been the team’s No. 1 wide receiver for most of this decade, the Cowboys are hesitant about paying Bryant $12.5MM in base salary this season. He’s due to count $16.5MM toward Dallas’ cap. The Cowboys added both Allen Hurns and Deonte Thompson this offseason and have Terrance Williams and Cole Beasley on the roster as well. Jones indicated the draft is also a possibility, and Williams writes the Cowboys have shown interest in Calvin Ridley and SMU’s Courtland Sutton. Each was on the team’s pre-draft visit list, as was Maryland’s D.J. Moore. The Cowboys are scheduled to convene for their offseason program April 16.
- La’el Collins changed positions during the 2017 offseason, and it looks like the Cowboys aren’t going to shift him away from him second NFL spot just yet. But the team did sign Cameron Fleming this offseason. Collins said Sunday night, via Hill (on Twitter) he will remain at right tackle. While adding the caveat that he would move back to guard if the team wanted him to, in a possible best-five-linemen scenario where he returns to left guard and Fleming takes his right tackle spot, his focus heading into his fourth season will be improving as a tackle.
Jerry Jones Hints At Cowboys Draft Strategy
Key said on NFL Network that he will have a visit with the 49ers in Santa Clara, Calif., along with the private workout. He also said he has visits planned with the Redskins, Titans, Bears and Cowboys.
- Cowboys owner Jerry Jones hinted at where the team may go with the No. 19 overall pick in the draft. “There is some defensive talent that has a chance to drop,” Jones said via David Moore of the Dallas Morning News. “Therein lies your opportunity. … If a number of quarterbacks are taken, a number of running backs are taken, two or three of those offensive tackles hit. Really as much as anything there could be a couple of guards taken ahead of us.”
Cowboys Audition DE Ryan Delair
Former Panthers defensive end Ryan Delaire, who was out of football last year as he recovered from a torn ACL, worked out for the Cowboys on Friday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. 
Delaire played 139 defensive snaps for the Panthers in 2016 in between two separate stints on injured reserve. In six games, Delaire managed five tackles, one sack, and one pass defensed.
Last year, he auditioned for the Giants and 49ers, but did not sign with either club. He also discussed a late-season deal with the Eagles in December, but his knee injury prevented him from passing their physical.
The Cowboys made one key defensive end depth signing this week when they inked another ex-Panther, Kony Ealy, to a low-cost one-year deal. If he signs with the Cowboys, Delaire is likely looking at an even cheaper deal with low/no guarantees.
Cowboys To Sign DE Kony Ealy
The Cowboys have agreed to terms with defensive end Kony Ealy on a one-year deal, a source tells Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). Ealy spent last season with the Jets. 
Ealy met with Dallas on Tuesday and agreed to terms roughly 48 hours later. He’ll now help to back up starters Demarcus Lawrence and Tyrone Crawford, filling a role previously filled by Benson Mayowa.
Ealy, 26, was traded from the Panthers to the Patriots last offseason, but was cut by New England in the summer. The Jets picked him up him off of waivers, but the Cowboys also had a claim in on him. He went on to put together a solid season in New York, even though his stat line doesn’t jump off of the page.
For his work last year, Pro Football Focus rated him as the No. 61 edge defender in the league, which actually placed him ahead of former teammate Julius Peppers, despite Peppers racking up eleven sacks.
East Notes: Dolphins, Pouncey, Cowboys
A look at some items out of the AFC and NFC East:
- The Dolphins have replaced Mike Pouncey with Daniel Kilgore, but they do not believe that they have lost an elite center. “Mike was maybe the best or second-best center in the league two or three years ago,” a team source told Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald. Kilgore, they feel, will give Miami a bump in run blocking, but not necessarily in pass protection. He also brings more size to the position and is something of an iron addict whereas Pouncey was never an enthusiastic weight room guy.
- New Dolphins defensive end Robert Quinn says he was “pretty much shocked, honestly” upon learning that he had been traded from the Rams to the Dolphins (Twitter links via Salguero). “It’s like this, this is the first time I’ve been traded. You commit yourself to someone and you have your family turn their back on you,” Quinn said. Quinn, 28 in May, racked up 8.5 sacks in 15 games for L.A. last season. He has 62.5 career sacks to his credit, dating back to 2011. The Bucs and Browns also explored trades for Quinn before he was shipped to Miami.
- Defensive end Kony Ealy and the Cowboys remain in talks, Clarence Hill of the Star Telegram tweets. However, it might take a couple of days before a decision is made.
NFL Draft Rumors: Vander Esch, Steelers, Bills
The latest NFL Draft news:
- Linked to Leighton Vander Esch for several weeks this offseason, the Steelers met with the Boise State outside linebacker on Monday night, Tony Pauline of Draft Analyst reports. Pittsburgh has used first-round picks on either inside or outside ‘backers in four of its past five drafts. Three of those players remain on the team, but only two will be able to play this season. Ryan Shazier has been declared out as he attempts to recover from his frightening spine injury. Pauline wrote in March that Vander Esch won’t get past Pittsburgh at No. 28.
- Next up for Vander Esch met the Cowboys on Wednesday morning, James Palmer of NFL.com tweets. After that, he has the Cardinals and every team picking between No. 12 to No. 24, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Aside from the aforementioned clubs, the teams picking from No. 12-24 are the Bills (twice), Redskins, Packers, Ravens, Chargers, Seahawks, Lions, Bengals, Bills, Patriots, and Panthers.
- LSU pass-rusher Arden Key met with the Saints and Lions before his pro day on Wednesday and will visit with the Bengals on Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Due to injuries, key only started in eight games last year, but he still finished out with 33 tackles, 5.5 for loss, four sacks, and a forced fumble. He is widely projected to be a first round pick later this month.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/4/18
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Chicago Bears
- Re-signed: WR Josh Bellamy (RFA)
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: K/P Brett Maher
- Waived: WR Brian Brown
Detroit Lions
- Waived: QB Alek Torgersen
Indianapolis Colts
- Re-signed: OL Jeremy Vujnovich (ERFA)
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: T Roubbens Joseph
- Waived: QB Brandon Doughty
Cowboys Arrange Several Pre-Draft Visits
Most of the prospects the Cowboys are planning to make part of their pre-draft visit itinerary will come through Dallas this week, with Albert Breer of SI.com reporting (on Twitter) numerous names have emerged.
Wide receivers Calvin Ridley and D.J. Moore are among those who will trek to Texas for pre-draft summits. Defensive linemen Vita Vea, Harold Landry, Da’Ron Payne and Florida’s Taven Bryan will join them, per Breer. Offensive linemen Kolton Miller (UCLA) and James Daniels (Iowa) are also on this list, as is Alabama linebacker Rashaan Evans.
Teams are allotted 30 visits before drafts, and Dallas will examine plenty of incoming NFL talent in the coming days.
Texas A&M wide receiver Christian Kirk is also on the Cowboys’ meeting list, although he is not expected to count against the 30-player maximum since he’s considered a local prospect. With Dez Bryant‘s future up in the air, the team is clearly interested in surveying what the 2018 crop looks like. Ridley, Kirk and Moore are the top three wide receivers on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com draft board and the only wideouts to appear on this 50-prospect list.