FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys' busy offseason continues.
The team is bringing back defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins on a new deal. The deal is reportedly for one year.
Dallas acquired Hankins last October via a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders. He was an unrestricted free agent prior to Wednesday's signing.
Hankins was a welcome addition to the team as he brought more depth to the defensive line and to the run defense.
Dallas’ defense had been missing a space eater on the interior of their defensive line for years and Hankins came in to help stop the bleeding for a unit that was porous against the run. Hankins played in only five games with the Cowboys, but he helped keep Vander Esch clean to run and chase ball carriers.
In two of the four games that Hankins missed with injury, the Cowboys gave up 192 and 151 yards, respectively, on the ground.
The Cowboys have been working the phones this offseason through trades, re-signings and adding new faces through free agency.
Dallas traded for veteran stars CB Stephon Gilmore and WR Brandin Cooks and signed free agents OL Chuma Edoga, RB Ronald Jones and LS Trent Sieg.
The Cowboys also re-signed RB Rico Dowdle, DE Dante Fowler, CB C.J.Goodwin, DT Takk McKinley and key defensive pieces in LB Leighton Vander Esch and S Donavan Wilson.
