3 defensive free agents the Cowboys should target in 2021

2. John Johnson III, Safety

The previous slide detailed the struggles of the Cowboys secondary last season and that struggle obviously extended to the safety position. Dallas also has its starting strong safety Xavier Woods heading for free agency this offseason which adds a sense of urgency to the teams’ need at the position.

Unlike the cornerback position, this years’ draft has a dearth of talent at the safety position. This means that the Cowboys’ will likely either have to re-sign Woods or pursue other options in free agency. John Johnson III would be an excellent choice for the organization and he would substantially improve the quality of play at the position.

The 25-year managed to accrue an impressive 105 total tackles last season for the Los Angeles Rams and has played both free and strong safety during his short career. Johnson also has eight career interceptions in his four-year career despite the fact that he only played six games in 2019.

The young defender also currently has a projected market value, according to Spotrac, of about $8 million per year. The Cowboys would likely struggle to get another significant free agent with his signing unless they make more moves to free up cap space.

However, the team is in desperate need of help at the safety position and a weak draft class at the position this year makes it even more important that they address this need in free agency.

The Dallas Cowboys secondary would instantly improve with the addition of John Johnson III. The young defender could play alongside the teams’ other promising young safety Donovan Wilson. That duo could end up being the best combination America’s Team has had at the positions in quite a long time.