With training camp less than a week away, the Dallas Cowboys decide to side with the familiar and re-sign veteran linebacker Justin Durant.
There’s nothing wrong with sticking to what you know. And for the Dallas Cowboys, it was more a matter of “who you know” when it came to the re-signing of veteran linebacker Justin Durant on Thursday.
Durant gives the Cowboys a veteran presence who already knows their system and can be a plug and play option at a moment’s notice. The 31-year old has played three seasons total in Dallas with a one-year lay over in Atlanta with the Falcons back in 2015 sandwiched in between.
Last season, Durant recorded 37 total tackles, three pass defends and a sack in 13 games coming off the bench for Dallas. A free agent this offseason, the 10-year NFL veteran visited the Buffalo Bills back in April, but never signed.
Durant also provides this Cowboys’ squad with some precious insurance at the position.
Earlier this month, third-year linebacker Damien Wilson was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. It’s is unclear what Wilson’s status with the team will be when September rolls around. And he was expected by many to be the Cowboys’ starter at strongside linebacker.
Combine Wilson’s difficult situation with the questions surrounding second-year linebacker Jaylon Smith’s knee injury and what he will be capable of physically when the regular season kicks off, and Durant is a sure-thing that Dallas can rely on in what’s becoming a very shaky positional group at the moment.
Next: Five other free agent options for Dallas
Although many may be underwhelmed by the Dallas Cowboys latest signing, it is undeniable that Justin Durant gives the the team a trusted and reliable presence both on and off-the-field the team knows they can go to battle with on gamedays.