The Dallas Cowboys need a ton of help on the defensive side of the ball and that may lead to Jerry Jones and Co. bringing in some Philadelphia Eagles free agents, especially after the hiring of former Eagles coach Christian Parker, who is the Cowboys’ new defensive coordinator.
When it comes to Dallas’ specific needs, the Cowboys need significant additions at linebacker, edge rusher, cornerback (slot and boundary) and safety — and it just so happens the Eagles have free agents or expected free agents at all those positions.
One of them, linebacker Nakobe Dean, was named “someone to watch” for Dallas by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
“Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean is someone to watch as a green-dot player in the middle of the defense [for Dallas],” Fowler wrote.
Fowler goes on to add that the Cowboys will “monitor the top of the pass-rush free agent options, too,” and he rightly points out that Dallas will be exploring options in free agency at safety and cornerback, also.
“The Cowboys will monitor the top of the pass-rush free agent options, too,” Fowler said. “They aren’t guaranteed to spend big, but I believe they will get a pass rusher at some point. “They will also comb the free agent safety class… and they need a nickel corner. Dallas has felt the void since Jourdan Lewis left.”
Three Eagles who fit the bill for the Cowboys at those spots are edge rusher Jaelan Phillips, slot cornerback Michael Carter and safety Reed Blankenship.
Of those three, Carter is the only one still under contract, but the expectation is the Eagles are going to cut him since he doesn’t have a role thanks to Cooper DeJean owning the slot cornerback job.
Phillips makes sense for the Cowboys if they can’t make blockbuster splash, as he doesn’t figure to be crazy expensive on the open market given his injury history.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer named Phillips as someone to watch for the Cowboys.
“Jaelan Phillips would be another option at edge and who was with new coordinator Christian Parker last year in Philly,” Breer said.
While we would be surprised to see all four players land in Dallas, we could definitely see two of them going to the Eagles’ arch-nemesis.
