Dallas Cowboys rumors point to this potential free agent

The Dallas Cowboys could use a veteran presence in their young defensive secondary. Could a free agent they’ve rumored to have interest in be at the top of their wish list?

Last offseason was known primarily for the exodus of many veterans in the Dallas Cowboys defensive secondary. Three starters in safety Barry Church and longtime cornerbacks Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne were all allowed to leave via free agency.

In their place, the Cowboys focused heavily on defense in the 2017 NFL Draft. Using seven of their nine selections on that side of the ball, Dallas retooled their secondary with young talent. And, the gamble appeared to pay off as rookies like safety Xavier Woods and cornerbacks Jourdan Lewis and Chidobe Awuize excelled in their inaugural season.

But that doesn’t mean the Cowboys didn’t have their struggles, particularly at the safety position. Former first round selection Byron Jones and longtime special teams ace Jeff Heath had their issues starting at the position in 2017.

Although Heath improved down the stretch, Jones continued to regress and appears to be headed for a position change to corner soon. If so, suddenly safety becomes a major concern in Dallas. And although the instinct may be to follow the previous offseason plan and look to the 2018 NFL Draft for a solution, this could be the perfect opportunity to fill the role with a more experienced player.

And why not with someone whom the Cowboys have been previously rumored to have had interested in?

Former Texas Longhorn and current free agent safety Kenny Vaccaro checks a lot of the boxes for what the Cowboys’ current front office have been known to look for in prospective free agent acquisitions. Vaccaro is a former first round selection, who has yet to live up to those lofty expectations and is still young enough, at 26-years old, to improve.

Last year, Vaccaro posted a solid season with the New Orleans Saints, recording 60 total tackles, 1.5 sacks, seven pass defends and a career-high three interceptions. But the young safety has struggled with inconsistent play his entire career which has resulted in his benching at times.

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Someone like Kenny Vaccaro could demand top dollar this offseason in free agency. And the Dallas Cowboys seem very committed to using the majority of their salary cap on re-signing their own free agents. But if the Cowboys are going to splash on one free agent outside of their own roster this offseason, Vaccaro certainly makes sense.