Dallas Cowboys: Is free agent Nick Perry a one-hit wonder?

The Dallas Cowboys are in desperate need of a premier pass rusher. But is former Green Bay Packer and free agent linebacker Nick Perry the answer?

Who let the dogs out? Ice Ice Baby. The Macarena. What do these songs have in common? They are all one-hit wonders. Also considered one-hit wonders are NFL players who have one stellar season, usually during a contract year, only to fizzle out once they’ve sign a lucrative deal.

If you are the Dallas Cowboys this offseason, you must avoid these one-hit wonders. Yet, one of the bigger free agents the Cowboys could look to the open market to sign has some major red flags. Determining whether or not a player is the real deal or just another “Ice, Ice Baby” is the biggest gamble in free agency.

If you are a fan of the Cowboys, you likely already know of the team’s desperate need for a premier pass rusher. Despite Dallas’ total defense ranking 14th in the NFL last year, they were tied for 24th in the league in total sacks with 28.0. And their inability to get to pressure on opposing quarterbacks cost them dearly in their lone playoff appearance last season.

Although the Cowboys prefer to build through the NFL Draft, there current draft position, owning the 28th overall selection in the first round, doesn’t bode well for them finding that premier pass rusher. And if they somehow do find a hidden gem, it usually takes a couple years before they start producing like one.

So it is very possible the Cowboys will look towards free agency this offseason to find that pass rusher. And because former Green Bay Packers linebacker Nick Perry could potentially be a one-year wonder, his relative affordability could be attractive to Dallas.

"“[Nick] Perry could be a good fit for the Cowboys,” wrote Todd Archer on ESPN.com recently. “He appears to be a hard worker, which is a must under Rod Marinelli. He also ranked 10th among edge defenders against the run, according to PFF. That’s a must for Marinelli, too. It makes sense, but would the Cowboys use the dollars?”"

According to Sportrac.com, Perry’s estimated average annual salary is $8.5 million. That may not seem like much of a value until you compare it to other free agents who are considered premier pass rushers. For example, Sportrac also believes former New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, a player that has also been linked to the Cowboys, has an estimated average annual salary of a whopping $14.6 million.

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The reason for the drastic difference in potential salary is risk. Prior to last season, the soon-to-be 27-year old Perry had never registered more than 4.0 sacks in a season. In fact, the former first round selection out of USC in 2012 was widely considered to be a bust.

In 2016, a contract year, Perry posted career highs in tackles (52), sacks (11.0), pass defended (4) and interceptions (1). He also started in 12 games. Prior to last year, Perry had never started in more than six contests in a season.

The other red flag in signing a player like Perry is injury. The five-year veteran has yet to play a complete 16-game season. Injuries limited him to just 17 games his first two years in the league. But in the last three seasons, Perry has only missed a total of five. But the fact he only started in 17 games in that three-year span should bring up major concerns about the inconsistency of his play.

Last season, Pro Football Focus ranked Perry as being tied as the 19th best edge rusher in the NFL, with a top ten grade for run defense. So, did the young defender finally turn a corner in his development or is this just another case of a one-year wonder?

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Now it’s the Dallas Cowboys job to weigh the risks of signing a free agent like Nick Perry, his one season of solid production and his potential price tag against all those red flags.

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