Dallas Cowboys: 15 best free agent acquisitions of all-time
(2008). Zach Thomas. 13. player. 123. . Linebacker
Native Texan Zach Thomas only spent one season in Dallas on his way to what could become a Pro Football Hall of Fame career. But the longtime Miami Dolphin great made the most of his short stint with the Cowboys, racking up 94 combined tackles, three passes defended and a sack back in 2008.
In what turned out to be his final professional season in the NFL, Thomas was second in tackles for Dallas behind fellow linebacker Bradie James, who posted 116 combined tackles.
That was also the season where legendary pass rusher DeMarcus Ware posted a whopping 20.0 sacks, the highest sack total of his career.
Thomas helped the Cowboys reach a 9-7 record that season, but they were unable to secure a playoff berth. Still, his presence as a seven-time Pro Bowler, even in his last season as a pro, made a major impact on Dallas’ defense. And it could have been the perfect ending for a player who might find himself in Canton, Ohio one day.