Cowboys visiting with potential starting safety Malik Hooker again

The Dallas Cowboys have needed more talent added to their safety position for years. With the hiring of Dan Quinn as the team’s new defensive coordinator, finally, that wish appears to be granted.

The upgrade at the safety position started earlier this offseason when Quinn, the former head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, brought over two of his former starting safeties in Keanu Neal and Damontae Kazee as free agents to Dallas. But Neal was quickly shifted to linebacker.

The Cowboys also signed veteran Jayron Kearse in free agency, a seven-game starter last year for the Detroit Lions, and drafted 6-foot-4, 205-pound cornerback Israel Mukuamu out of South Carolina in the sixth round then moved him to safety. Along with undrafted rookie free agent Tyler Coyle, these new faces were added to a safety depth chart that already included Donovan Wilson, Darian Thompson, and Steven Parker.

Despite the bloated roster, there were still lingering concerns that there wasn’t enough talent at the position going into training camp. Especially considering the fact Kazee, who was assumed to be a projected starter along with Wilson, was coming off a season-ending Achilles injury that limited him to only four games in 2020.

But the Cowboys may have now decided to address those concerns by visiting with veteran free agent safety Malik Hooker for the second time this offseason according to ESPN’s Todd Archer. According to Archer, Dallas met with Hooker back in March but wanted to see him rehab more from his torn Achilles. The soonest the Cowboys could sign him appears to be next Tuesday due to required COVID-testing.

A former first-round selection by the Indianapolis Colts back in 2017 (15th overall), the 25-year old Hooker has unfortunately struggled with injuries over his four-year NFL career. Having missed 28 of a possible 64 regular-season games, availability and not talent has been Hooker’s biggest hurdle since joining the league.

Prior to the draft, one unnamed personnel director for an AFC team reportedly believed the former Ohio State safety had the talent to become an All-Pro by his third year in the NFL.

In his first season with Indy, Hooker recorded 22 total tackles and a career-high three interceptions in only seven games. A knee injury in which he tore his ACL and MCL ended his rookie campaign prematurely.

Over the next two years, Hooker would only miss a total of five regular-season games. He’d receive a career-high 79.1 overall grade from Pro Football Focus for his play in 2018 when he recorded 44 combined tackles, four pass deflections, and two interceptions in 14 games.

Last year, Hooker suffered a season-ending Achilles injury two games into the 2020 regular season. He became a free agent this offseason after the Cots refused to pick up his fifth-year option for this year.

Malik Hooker could be a very talented safety option for the Dallas Cowboys. And his potential addition could add some much-needed talent to the position. But his injury risk is extremely high so the Cowboys must also be prepared for him to miss games based on his extensive injury history alone.