Did Cowboys UDFA safeties send Damontae Kazee to Steelers?

The Dallas Cowboys had an incredibly long list of free agents hit the free market this offseason. On the list of 25 players, 1/5 were safeties. They were Jayron Kearse, Malik Hooker, Keanu Neal, Darian Thompson, and Damontae Kazee. As we know, Kearse and Hooker were already re-signed to the Cowboys. Neal, who technically played as a linebacker in 2021, got picked up by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and is returning to playing safety. That left just Kazee and Thompson.

Thompson didn’t do much for the Cowboys in 2021. He played in five games with zero starts and had three combined tackles as his only stats. Kazee, on the other hand, started in 15 games, had two interceptions, two forced fumbles, and 52 tackles. However, at the start of the 2022 NFL Draft, Kazee was still unsigned by Dallas or anyone for that matter.

On Monday after the draft, Kazee’s agent confirmed on Twitter that his client was signing a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers after ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported it. The five-year veteran heads to Pittsburgh after four years with the Falcons and one year with the Cowboys. Dallas signed the former Falcon to a one-year, Veteran Salary Benefit Contract ahead of the 2021 season giving him the chance to play with his former head coach Dan Quinn.

Although the Cowboys did not add any safeties in their nine official draft selections, they did add three safeties during their undrafted free agent haul. They were Florida A&M’s Markquese Bell (a name many are excited about), Georgia Tech’s Juanyeh Thomas, and TCU’s La’Kendrick Van Zandt. It almost seems like the Cowboys’ ability to add multiple potential safeties (in addition to re-signing Hooker and Kearse) was part of the reason they were willing to part ways with Kazee.

Former Cowboys S Damontae Kazee signs with Steelers after Dallas adds three UDFA safeties

Kazee is 28 years old and was a fifth-round pick by Atlanta in the 2017 NFL Draft. He led the league in interceptions in 2018 and has collected 15 during his career. A key attribute that Kazee brings to the Steelers is his ability to play different positions. Kazee has lined up at both safety positions as well as a slot cornerback.

Pittsburgh also chose not to draft a safety in the draft despite losing Mike Hilton to the Cincinnati Bengals during free agency. The former Cowboy will now join Minkah Fitzpatrick, Karl Joseph, and Terrell Edmunds on the safety depth chart for the Steelers.

Dallas is unlikely to re-sign Thompson. So, will Bell, Thomas, or Van Zandt get to take Kazee’s place? The three look to earn a roster or practice squad when rookie minicamps begin this month.