Cowboys' Mazi Smith: Still recovering from surgery
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Smith is rehabbing his shoulder during OTAs, Nick Harris of the Cowboys' official site reports.
Smith underwent surgery at the beginning of the offseason for an issue which plagued him during his rookie year, and he still seems to be bothered by it a couple months later. If and when he's healthy, he projects to play a significant role on Dallas' defensive line in 2024.
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Cowboys' DeMarvion Overshown: Still rehabbing
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Overshown (knee) is working with a rehab group off to the side during OTAs, Nick Harris of the Cowboys' official site reports.
Overshown sustained a ruptured ACL back in August and had to sit out his entire rookie season as a result. With Leighton Vander Esch now retired and Rashaan Evans a free agent, Overshown should have a chance to earn a significant role at linebacker this season, provided he continues to recover at his current rate.
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Cowboys' Trevon Diggs: Limited in OTAs
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Diggs will be working on the side as the Cowboys open OTAs on Wednesday while he continues to recover from a torn ACL suffered last September, Nick Harris of the team's official site reports.
Diggs suffered the injury in a Sept. 21 practice and saw his 2023 campaign come to an early end after playing in just two games. The Cowboys haven't reported that Diggs has hit any snags in the recovery process, but he'll still be operating under some restrictions in the spring. It's unclear if the Cowboys expect Diggs to be a full participant for the start of training camp in the summer.
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Cowboys' DeMarvion Overshown: Recovery going well
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Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said Wednesday that Overshown (knee) is ahead of schedule in his recovery from the ACL tear he suffered last August, Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.
The 2023 third-round pick was slated to have a big role in the Cowboys linebacker corps before tearing his ACL during Dallas' second preseason game. During Overshown's final collegiate season at Texas, he recorded 96 total tackles, four sacks and five pass breakups. The Cowboys added veteran linebacker Eric Kendricks earlier in the offseason, but Overshown could still see plenty of playing time once he returns to the field.
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Cowboys' Damien Wilson: Back with Cowboys for 2024
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Dallas signed Wilson to a one-year contract Monday, Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News reports.
The Cowboys added Wilson to their practice squad late last season, and he now will be under contract for at least one more go around. He played 207 snaps on special teams versus 198 on defense in 2023.
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Cowboys' Micah Parsons: Contract option picked up
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The Cowboys exercised the fifth-year team option on Parsons' rookie contract Wednesday, Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News reports.
Per Gehlken, the star edge rusher will earn $21.32 million in 2025, but that salary may only serve as a placeholder before Parsons and the Cowboys are able to work out what's expected to be a lavish long-term deal. The 24-year-old is coming off another productive effort with the Cowboys in 2023, as he racked up 64 tackles and a career-high 14 sacks in 17 regular-season outings.
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Cowboys' Mazi Smith: Rehabbing from shoulder surgery
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Smith is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery and is expected to be ready for training camp, Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News reports.
Smith underwent the surgery shortly after the end of the 2023 season, and a four-to-six month recovery timeline puts him on track for training camp in July. The 2023 first-round pick only handled a depth role as a rookie, suiting up for all 17 games but playing just 287 defensive snaps.
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Seahawks' Johnathan Hankins: Moves to Seattle
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Hankins signed a contract with the Seahawks on Tuesday, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
Hankins spent last season in Dallas, starting 14 regular-season games and racking up 27 tackles (13 solo), including 3.0 sacks. His presence should strengthen Seattle's defensive line against the run in 2024.
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Leighton Vander Esch: Announces retirement from NFL
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Vander Esch (neck) announced his retirement from the NFL on Monday, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports.
Vander Esch, a 2018 first-round pick, earned a Pro Bowl selection and second-team All-Pro honors, but he now retires from the NFL after six seasons after having been released by the Cowboys last week. Injuries disrupted the promising linebacker's career, including the 2023 campaign, in which he missed the final 12 games due to a recurring neck issue. Vander Esch retires with 71 regular-season appearances, 469 total tackles, 3.5 sacks, 13 passes defensed and three forced fumbles under his belt and as a forever 'what-if' for Cowboys fans imagining scenarios wherein the Boise State product had managed to stay healthier.
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Commanders' Noah Igbinoghene: Signs with Washington
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Igbinoghene signed a contract with the Commanders on Sunday, John Keim of ESPN.com reports.
Iginoghene had an underwhelming first four years of his career. After tallying 29 tackles and five passes defended over 32 regular-season games with Miami, the 2020 first-round pick was traded to Dallas ahead of the 2023 regular season. He never managed to carve out a significant role with the Cowboys, primarily playing on special teams across five appearances with the team. Igbinogene will now follow former Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn to Washington.
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Leighton Vander Esch: Cut by Dallas
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The Cowboys released Vander Esch (neck) with a failed physical designation Friday, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports.
The 2018 first-round pick missed the final 12 games of the Cowboys' season in 2023 due to a neck issue, and he's now been cut loose with a failed physical designation. Vander Esch has missed three-plus games in four of his six years in the NFL, appearing in 71 of Dallas' 99 games during that span. The 28-year-old linebacker is now free to sign with another team once he moves past his neck injury.
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Cowboys' C.J. Goodwin: Returning to Dallas
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The Cowboys re-signed Goodwin (pectoral) on a one-year deal Thursday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Goodwin sustained a torn pectoral in early October that forced him to miss all but five of the Cowboys' games in 2023, but it seems as if he's now past the issue. The 34-year-old cornerback was used almost exclusively on special teams last season, playing a total of 102 snaps (86 on special teams) and recording four total tackles. Expect Goodwin to compete for a similar role in Dallas' special-teams unit this offseason.
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Cowboys' Jourdan Lewis: Gets new deal
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Lewis re-signed with the Cowboys on a one-year contract Thursday, Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News reports.
Lewis officially became a free agent Wednesday, but it took less than 24 hours for the Michigan product to re-up with his old team. Selected in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft, Lewis has spent all seven seasons of his career with Dallas and is now set to remain with the Cowboys for at least an eighth season. The 28-year-old bounced back in 2023 from an injury-shortened 2022 campaign due to a Lisfranc injury to record 52 tackles (36 solo), five pass breakups, one interception, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries across 16 regular-season games.
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Dolphins' Neville Gallimore: Makes deal with Miami
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The Dolphins will sign Gallimore, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Gallimore spent the first four seasons of his career in Dallas after being selected by the Cowboys in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He'll now swap conferences and likely slot into a rotational role in Miami that will be similar to the one he filled with the Cowboys.
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Commanders' Dante Fowler: Switching NFC East teams
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Fowler is slated to sign with the Commanders, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.
Fowler will join the migration of Cowboys defenders joining new Commanders head coach Dan Quinn in Washington. The 29-year-old spent the last two seasons in Dallas, not missing a single game and recording 10.0 sacks in the process. He should bolster the team's depth on the edges next season.
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Commanders' Dorance Armstrong: Moving to Washington
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Armstrong is slated to sign with the Commanders on Wednesday, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
Armstrong's deal is expected to be worth a max of $45 million over three years, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. The 26-year-old will remain in the NFC East and continue playing under Dan Quinn, but he'll ultimately be changing addresses in 2024. The Kansas product has spent all six NFL seasons in Dallas and recorded a career-high 38 combined tackles last season while adding 7.5 sacks, which was second on the team to Micah Parsons in 2023.
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Cowboys' Johnathan Hankins: Starts 14 games for Dallas
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Hankins racked up 27 tackles (13 solo), including 3.0 sacks, and two pass breakups across 14 regular-season appearances with the Cowboys in 2023.
Hankins missed three games down the stretch due to a high-ankle sprain, and he otherwise was unspectacular for Dallas while on the field. Now a pending unrestricted free agent and heading into his age-32 season, Hankins isn't necessarily a lock to secure another starting role for the 2024 campaign. His best prospects might be to re-sign with the Cowboys on a team-friendly deal.
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Cowboys' Malik Hooker: Reliable again in 2023
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Hooker racked up 50 tackles (27 solo), three pass breakups, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery across 16 regular-season games with the Cowboys.
Hooker has stayed mostly healthy across three seasons with Dallas and in that span ingratiated himself as one of the key members of the team's three-man safety rotation, alongside Jayron Kearse and Donovan Wilson. Hooker looks set for a similar role in the Cowboys secondary for the 2024 campaign, after which the team will have a potential 'out' from the 27-year-old's contract.
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Cowboys' Jourdan Lewis: Free agency ahead
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Lewis recorded 52 tackles (36 solo), five pass breakups, one interception, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries across 16 regular-season games with the Cowboys in 2023.
Lewis missed Week 1 after sitting out all of training camp and the preseason while recovering from a Lisfranc injury, but he then appeared in all remaining 16 regular-season games for Dallas, operating as the backup to DaRon Bland and Stephon Gilmore. Now a pending unrestricted free agent, Lewis will likely have to search for a similar backup role elsewhere in the league.
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Cowboys' Stephon Gilmore: Has shoulder surgery
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Gilmore (shoulder) had surgery after the Cowboys' season ended, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports.
The 12th-year veteran is set to become a free agent, and he will likely need 4-to-6 months to recover, per Archer. At the same time, Gilmore should be available for training camp. The cornerback made a career-best 68 tackles in 2023 to go along with 13 passes defensed, two interceptions and a forced fumble.
