Dallas Cowboys reportedly still in the mix for Eric Berry

An NFL insider recently reported that the Dallas Cowboys are still in the mix to sign five-time Pro Bowl free agent safety Eric Berry this summer.

Anyone following the Dallas Cowboys for the past two years knows the name Earl Thomas. The Cowboys have seemingly had an on-and-off again love affair with the former Seattle Seahawks’ safety ever since he waltz into the team’s locker room after a Week 16 loss on Christmas Eve and utter the words: Come get me.

That was December of 2017. Flash forward to today and Thomas is a member of the Baltimore Ravens after signing a monstrous four-year, $55 million deal in March as a 30-year old free agent coming off a season-ending leg injury.

As for the Cowboys, their safety situation remains relatively the same. Dallas added veteran safety George Iloka in free agency, but it seems unlikely he’ll be able to unseat starter Jeff Heath this summer. The Cowboys also drafted a safety in the sixth round, Donovan Wilson out of Texas A&M. Wilson could bump veteran Kavon Frazier off the active roster, but that will likely be his ceiling as a rookie.

It appears the Cowboys are set to enter the new season with the same starting duo of Heath and Xavier Woods. So Dallas could still use a talented safety in their secondary. Luckily for them, there is still one available on the open market. Former Kansas City Chiefs safety Eric Berry has yet to sign with a team despite his numerous accolades.

Here’s what NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported on the league’s official website about Berry’s current situation and that he believes the Cowboys would still be interested in acquiring the five-time Pro Bowler.

"“This really is a situation where if the money had been right early, obviously Eric Berry would have signed. Of course, anybody would have. But since the money was not right … the thought was this would make more sense signing around the start of training camps … Maybe a team that needs a veteran safety still. The Cowboys took a visit from him. I know they’d still be in the mix.”"

Berry visited the Cowboys back in March. But it was believed his medicals and price tag likely led to the team passing on the 30-year old. In the past two seasons, Berry has played in a total of three regular season games due to injuries.

In December of 2014, Berry was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He returned to the football field the following year, posting 61 total tackles, 10 pass defends and two interceptions in 16 games and was promptly named the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year.

Berry played only one game in 2017 after suffering a season-ending Achilles injury in the Chiefs opener against the New England Patriots. Last year, the All-Pro safety didn’t make his debut until Week 15 due to a rare heel injury.

According to Rapoport, Berry feels 100 percent healthy now. And in his last full season, 2016, he posted an impressive stat-line of 77 tackles, nine pass defends, four interceptions and two defensive touchdowns. But Berry’s extensive injury history combined with his age and apparent high asking price has left him without a team just as most franchises are preparing to go on vacation prior to next month’s training camp.

The fact is the Dallas Cowboys like their current safety situation and have complete faith in secondary coach Kris Richard to teach and motivate the players they have to overachieve this upcoming season. But every NFL team would consider adding a star like Eric Berry to their roster as long as the price is right. And if the veteran believes he could start and win in Dallas, perhaps he’d consider signing a very team-friendly deal to play in Big D.