Cowboys Expected To Sign Marcus Martin
It looks as though the Cowboys will be further reinforcing their offensive line, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that the club is expected to sign free agent offensive lineman Marcus Martin. It was reported earlier this month that Martin would be visiting the Lions and Cowboys, and he ultimately chose Dallas.
The 49ers selected Martin, a USC product, in the third round of the 2014 draft, and he spent the first three seasons of his career with San Francisco. He started 14 games in 2015, but he managed only four appearances (two starts) in 2016 before landing on injured reserve. The 49ers placed him on waivers last offseason, and although he was claimed by the Browns, he never suited up for Cleveland.
Still, he is just 24 years old and is capable of playing both guard and center. He will work as a quality reserve for a Cowboys line that just got even stronger yesterday with the addition of offensive tackle Cameron Fleming.
Jason Witten Restructure Signals Committment To Cowboys In 2018
- Jason Witten helped the Cowboys open up some cap space by restructuring his contract Saturday. While the cap space certainly helps the Cowboys, the move also signals Witten’s commitment to returning next season, as Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News points out. Rumors had circulated earlier this month that FOX Sports was targeting Witten, 35, as a possible analyst for its Thursday Night Football broadcast.
Cowboys Restructure Contract For Jason Witten
The Cowboys have restructured the contract for veteran tight end Jason Witten, opening up around $3.5MM in available cap space, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer. Witten is signed through the 2021 season.
Witten, 35, becomes the second Cowboy to restructure his deal of late, with center Travis Frederick doing so last week. Between the restructuring of both deals, the Cowboys have opened up $10.5MM in available cap space.
The Cowboys were certainly in need of more available cap space, especially with the addition of wide receivers Allen Hurns (two years, $12MM) and Deonte Thompson (one year, $2.5MM). Entering Saturday, the Cowboys had $8.04MM in available cap room, which placed them at No. 26 in the NFL, per Spotrac.
Witten has spent his entire 15-year career with the Cowboys and has been selected to 11 Pro Bowls. He’s the franchise’s all-time leader in receptions (1,152), receiving yards (12,448) and most consecutive games played (239). He signed a four-year contract extension last offseason, worth $29.6MM.
Allen Hurns To Work As Complementary Piece To Dez Bryant
Thomas, a three-time All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowler, is set to enter the final season of his four-year, $40MM deal with Seattle. The Seahawks have reportedly shopped Thomas around in trade talks, with the Cowboys believed to be one of the teams interested in trading for the Texas native.
- The Cowboys’ addition of Allen Hurns wasn’t meant to signal the end of the Dez Bryant era in Dallas, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter), but rather that Hurns will work as a complementary piece to Bryant. The Cowboys signed Bryant to a five-year, 70MM deal in 2015. Along with the two-year deal for Hurns, the Cowboys added wide receiver Deonte Thompson on a one-year contract earlier this week.
Cowboys Sign WR Allen Hurns
Free agent receiver Allen Hurns plans to sign with the Cowboys, as he tells Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). It’s a two-year deal worth $12MM, report Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link) and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link).
The Cowboys officially announced the deal Saturday morning (on Twitter).
Dallas has yet to make major additions on either side of the ball, but it clearly wanted to address its receiving corps. While the Cowboys have yet to make a decision on veteran Dez Bryant‘s fate, Jerry Jones & Co. reportedly made a push for Sammy Watkins before he signed with the Chiefs, and also signed a complementary pass-catcher in Deonte Thompson.
Hurns is only 26 years old, but he hasn’t had much success since the 2015 campaign. During that season, Hurns served as the Jaguars’ No. 2 receiver behind Allen Robinson and posted a 64/1,031/10 line. Subsequently, Hurns’ role in the Jacksonville offense was drastically scaled back, while injuries have also limited him. He failed to top 500 yards receiving in either 2016 or 2017.
Hurns will join Bryant, Thompson, Cole Beasley, Terrance Williams, and Ryan Switzer in the Cowboys’ receiving corps. Dallas, cap-strapped as ever, could save $8.5MM by cutting ties with Bryant (and $12.5MM if he’s a post-June 1 release), but Williams is almost certainly stuck on the Cowboys’ roster despite his lack of production. The Cowboys would pay more to cut Williams than release him prior to June 1, and they wouldn’t net any savings even if Williams was a post-June release.
A number of clubs, including the Bears, Bills, Saints, Texans, Jets, Raiders, Panthers, Browns, and Ravens also expressed interest in Hurns, but Hurns only visited Dallas and New York.
[RELATED: Cowboys Depth Chart]
NFL Contract Details: Scandrick, Shelby, Latimer, Wynn
Let’s take a look at the most recent new contracts around the NFL:
- Orlando Scandrick, CB (Redskins): Two years, $6.85MM. $1MM guaranteed. $1MM signing bonus (Twitter link via John Keim of ESPN.com).
- Derrick Shelby, DE (Falcons): One year, $3.25MM. $2MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com).
- Cody Latimer, WR (Giants): One year, $2.5MM. $2.47MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com).
- Marshall Newhouse, T (Bills): One year, $1.5MM. $500K guaranteed. $500K signing bonus. $250K available via playing time incentive (Twitter link via Mike Rodak of ESPN.com).
- Kerry Wynn, DE (Giants): One year, $1.25MM. $500K guaranteed (Twitter link via Raanan).
- L.P. Ladouceur, LS (Cowboys): One year, $1.015MM. $630K guaranteed. $90K signing bonus. Minimum salary benefit (Twitter link via Todd Archer of ESPN.com).
Cowboys Sign WR Deonte Thompson
The Cowboys have signed wide receiver Deonte Thompson, agent David Canter tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). He gets a one-year, $2.5MM deal with a $1MM signing bonus. 
Thompson met with the Cowboys on Thursday and it didn’t take long for a deal to come together. He joins a wide receiver group that is in serious flux from the top to bottom. The Cowboys are expected to ask Dez Bryant to take a pay cut, but they have yet to do so, which makes his future a bit murky. Meanwhile, Terrance Williams flopped last year and Brice Butler continues to float in free agent limbo.
Thompson spent time with the Bills and Bears last year. Between the two clubs, he turned in the best season of his career with 38 grabs for 555 yards and two touchdowns. At the age of 29, he appears to be coming into his own. The Broncos and the incumbent Bills also expressed interest in signing him this month.
The Cowboys may continue to shop for wide receivers. Allen Hurns met with Dallas yesterday and they have also shown interest in Dontrelle Inman and Justin Hunter.
Cowboys To Sign LB Joe Thomas
The Cowboys have agreed to a two-year deal with free agent linebacker Joe Thomas, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The pact is worth up to $4.6MM, tweets Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News.
Thomas, not to be confused with the former Browns tackle of the same same, is now on the open market after the Packers declined to tender him as a restricted free agent last week. The 26-year-old Thomas, who spent time on the Dallas practice squad in 2015, started seven games and played 60% of Green Bay’s defensive snaps in 2016, but saw his playtime drop to 13% last season.
The Cowboys appear to be set at linebacker with a trio of Sean Lee, Jaylon Smith, and Damien Wilson, so Thomas won’t see playing time right off the bat. However, both Lee and Smith have dealt with serious injuries in the past, so Thomas will offer depth in case either goes down again.
Cowboys To Meet With WR Deonte Thompson
The Cowboys met with wide receiver Deonte Thompson and linebacker Joe Thomas on Wednesday, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com (Twitter links).
Dallas’ wide receiver depth chart is fluid at the moment, as the Cowboys haven’t yet asked No. 1 pass-catcher Dez Bryant to accept a pay cut in order to remain on the roster. It’s unclear if Bryant will even be forced to take a pay reduction, but the Cowboys have other problems at receiver beyond Bryant. Terrance Williams managed only 568 yards in the first year of a four-year extension, while Brice Butler is an unrestricted free agent.
Thompson played for two teams in 2017, as he signed with the Bills in October after being released by the Bears. Overall, last season marked Thompson’s best campaign to date, as he set career-highs in both receptions (38) and yards (555). Thompson, 29, has also reportedly drawn interest from the Broncos and the incumbent Bills, but his visit with the Cowboys will mark his first official free agent meeting.
Thompson wasn’t the only receiver scheduled to meet with the Cowboys today. Former Jaguars wideout Allen Hurns is taking the first visit of his free agent tour with Dallas, while Dontrelle Inman and Justin Hunter were also expected to be in Arlington.
Thomas, not to be confused with the former Browns tackle of the same same, is now on the open market after the Packers declined to tender him as a restricted free agent last week. The 26-year-old started seven games and played 60% of Green Bay’s defensive snaps in 2016, but saw his playtime drop to 13% last season. Thomas would serve as depth and contribute on special teams if signed by the Cowboys.
Cowboys To Host WR Allen Hurns
The Cowboys will meet with free agent wide receiver Allen Hurns, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Hurns’ visit with Dallas will take place ahead of his summit with the Jets, as weather elements are keeping Hurns out of New York.
Dallas has yet to make major additions on either side of the ball (in fact, the club’s only offseason transaction was re-signing its long snapper), but it clearly wants to address its receiving corps. While the Cowboys have yet to make a decision on veteran Dez Bryant‘s fate, Jerry Jones & Co. reportedly made a push for Sammy Watkins before he signed with the Chiefs, and also expressed interest in complementary pass-catchers such as Deonte Thompson.
Hurns, 26, was excellent as Jacksonville’s No. 2 wide receiver in 2015, putting up 10 touchdowns behind top pass-catcher Allen Robinson. The former undrafted free agent landed a four-year, $40MM deal following that campaign, but Hurns only made it through two years before being released. A number of clubs, including the Bears, Bills, Saints, Texans, Jets, Raiders, and Panthers have also expressed interest in Hurns.
The Cowboys are searching for more weapons for quarterback Dak Prescott after Terrance Williams flopped in the first year of his new four year-deal. With Bryant seemingly on the roster for now, Dallas needs a quality No. 2 receiver. To that end, the Cowboys were also expected to meet with free agents Dontrelle Inman and Justin Hunter, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com.
Inman, 29, broke out for 58 receptions and 810 yards with the Chargers in 2016, but he tumbled down the team’s depth chart following the return of a healthy Keenan Allen. Los Angeles shipped Inman to the Bears at mid-season for a conditional seventh-round pick, and he went to finish third among Chicago wideouts in receptions (23) and yards (334).
Hunter, meanwhile, wouldn’t qualify as any more than a No. 5 receiver, as he’s managed just 14 total receptions with three different teams over the past two years. Ideally, a back-end wideout such as Hunter would offer special teams value, but the former second-round pick has played only four special teams snaps during his six-year career.