DALLAS — While the Dallas Cowboys have shied away from signing outside free agents in recent years, they have maintained their philosophy of keeping their own. That hasn’t been easy for a franchise that had 21 of their own free agents to retain coming into the offseason, but the Cowboys have been busy trying to preserve their priority players.
One of the players who was identified as someone that Dallas wanted to bring back was safety Jayron Kearse. It might have taken some time, but the Cowboys and Kearse finally agreed to a deal to keep the veteran safety with the team for two more years.
Kearse has been in the league for six years and was originally drafted in seventh-round by the Minnesota Vikings. The former Clemson standout next played for the Detroit Lions and Baltimore Ravens before landing with the Cowboys last offseason.
Most of Kearse’s career has been spent as a special teams player, which was what many thought his role would be with the Cowboys. However, Kearse turned out to be a key member of the defensive turnaround in Dallas.
Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn found a role for Kearse, who responded with the best season of his career. Kearse had career-highs in tackles (101), interceptions (two) and passes defensed (10). The 101 tackles led the Cowboys in 2021.
The key to unlocking Kearse’s potential was in using him as an extra enforcer near the line of scrimmage on occasion, a role in which he excelled. The veteran safety was also outstanding in coverage, often eliminating an offense's top tight end. Per Pro Football Focus, he was the most improved player on the Cowboys in 2021.
Per PFF: “Kearse took on a starting job with the Cowboys in 2021 and ended up as the 12th highest graded player at the position for the season. He led all safeties in pass breakups with 10, tied for fifth in defensive stops with 33, finished second in missed tackle rate at 3.9% (four misses on 109 attempts) and tied for third in total pressures with 11.”
All told, Kearse provided fantastic output for someone who might not have been thought of as an impact player heading into the season. Kearse’s breakout also garnered attention throughout the league with the Carolina Panthers among the teams trying to pry Kearse away from Dallas.
The Cowboys can rest easy as they got their man. The commitment to Kearse, as well as fellow safety Malik Hooker, is proof that Dallas is finally taking the safety position seriously after years of neglect. The pair, along with fourth-year safety Donovan Wilson, offers a strong group for Quinn’s defense and gives the team some depth at a position that has often been an afterthought.
In addition, the Cowboys will benefit when the draft comes along as they will not be desperate for help at safety as has often been the case.
Kearse’s new contract is also a modest deal for the Cowboys. The two years for a possible $11 million is good business for a solid safety. The team didn’t overpay for one year of production and if Kearse repeats his success, the Cowboys get a bargain.
The Cowboys said they wanted Jayron Kearse back and they held true to that. Kearse will again be tasked with playing a pivotal role in Quinn’s defense, and he showed what he was capable of with his stellar play in 2021. Dallas will be hoping for more of the same during the next two campaigns.
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