Cowboys re-sign core safety Donovan Wilson in first free agency splash of 2023
By Adam Weinrib
They did it! The Dallas Cowboys did it. They entered the free agency fracas — though, naturally, they paid one of their own instead of wandering outside the comfortable confines of The Star.
And, to think, we were almost at the point where we had to worry about Rams S Taylor Rapp coming to Dallas instead, which surely would’ve disappointed Jayron Kearse, Malik Hooker and the other cryptic tweeters.
Yes, the Cowboys polished off their clear top priority on Tuesday morning, agreeing to terms with free agent safety Donovan Wilson. He’ll join Kearse and Hooker in creating continuity in the unit next season.
Hooker made it quite clear this week that he wanted all eyes on Wilson, igniting fervor by tweeting, “Y’all seen Donovan Wilson back to Cowboys yet?” out of nowhere. It was unclear whether he was asking fans to cull Twitter for free agency nuggets or whether he knew something they didn’t know.
Now, that mystery has been solved, as Wilson has reportedly received a three-year deal worth up to $24 million in Dallas. The first two years are fully guaranteed, per Mike Garafolo’s sources.
The #Cowboys have agreed to terms to re-sign S Donovan Wilson to a three-year deal worth up to $24 million with the first two years fully guaranteed ($13.5 million), sources say. The deal was confirmed by Wilson’s agents Kevin Conner and Robert Brown of @UniSportsMgmt. pic.twitter.com/8EhQa17b5m
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 14, 2023
Dallas Cowboys Free Agency: Cowboys sign Donovan Wilson
Wilson, a hard-hitting free safety who loves wreaking havoc in the box and blowing plays up from the word go, racked up 5.0 sacks in 2022, along with a pair of forced fumbles and 77 solo tackles.
The 28-year-old former sixth-rounder out of Texas A&M has become a perfect fit in Dan Quinn’s defense, showing no quit at any point. Luckily for Wilson, Quinn’s scheme will be sticking around a while, too, unlike the decided lack of continuity on Dallas’ offense. Will he eventually succeed Mike McCarthy? If so, Wilson will still be around to see it.
Keep track of all Dallas’ other moves (or inactivity) on The Landry Hat for the remainder of this free agency cycle. We’ll be recapping things daily, and ideally expressing more excitement as the process drones on. Off to a solid start here.
