Dallas Cowboys: Is Gerald McCoy this season’s Robert Quinn?
The Dallas Cowboys finally agreed to terms with a player outside of their own free agents. And this one addresses the team’s interior defensive line needs.
Through the first two days of the legal tampering period of NFL free agency, the Dallas Cowboys have been about the business of addressing the status of their own free agents. That was until late Tuesday night.
While all their early moves were made to retain players like quarterback Dak Prescott, wide receiver Amari Cooper, and linebacker Sean Lee, Dallas also lost some key starters in cornerback Byron Jones, defensive end Robert Quinn, and tight end Jason Witten to free agency.
Yet, until Tuesday night, there were no reports of the Cowboys making deals with players outside of their roster. According to ESPN.com’s Todd Archer, Dallas has agreed to terms on a three-year deal with six-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Gerald McCoy. The financials of the contract were not included in the report, although its approval is pending a physical.
Update: According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, McCoy’s contract in Dallas is for three-years and around $20 million, so slightly more than $6 million per season.
The third overall selection in the 2010 NFL Draft out of Oklahoma, McCoy spent his first nine years in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The All-Pro defensive tackle’s best season was in 2013 when he recorded 50 total tackles, 9.5 sacks, and four pass deflections for the Bucs.
Tampa Bay released its longtime interior defender last May in order to get out from under his $13 million price tag. McCoy landed with the Carolina Panthers, inking a one-year deal that included incentives that would allow him to make up to $10.25 million. The 32-year old started all 16-games for the Panthers in 2019, recording 37 tackles, 5.0 sacks, and two pass deflections.
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The Dallas Cowboys are surely hoping that Gerald McCoy will be this year’s version of Robert Quinn when it comes to production. Last March, Quinn was acquired by Dallas via a trade with the Miami Dolphins.
Like McCoy, Quinn was a veteran defender some believed was past his prime. Yet, the talented pass rusher would end up leading the Cowboys with 11.5 sacks and earning himself a very lucrative five-year, $70 million contract from the Chicago Bears earlier this week.