The Dallas Cowboys may not fix every defensive hole in one offseason, but they understand the urgency of setting new coordinator Christian Parker up for success.
Longtime starting safety Donovan Wilson is a free agent, and there's virtually no momentum toward a reunion following the Combine. The Cowboys need a starter opposite Malik Hooker, and Arizona Cardinals veteran Jalen Thompson has emerged as a potential target.
Coming out of the Combine, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said that Dallas will "comb" free agency for a new safety and that Thompson "makes a lot of sense."
Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram later name-dropped Thompson in a list of possible Cowboys targets to keep an eye on, noting that, "The ties from Parker’s staff stretch far around the league, and the Cowboys are expected to lean on those connections in free agency."
The Dallas Cowboys may be plotting a move for safety Jalen Thompson in free agency
Thompson started five seasons in the Cardinals’ secondary, including the last three under new Cowboys cornerbacks coach Ryan Smith. He's still only 27 years old (28 in July), despite having just finished his seventh year in the league.
The Cowboys’ reluctance to invest at safety must change if they want to land Thompson in what’s shaping up to be a strong free-agent market for the position.
Pro Football Focus projects a two-year, $19 million deal ($9.5 million annually) with $14 million guaranteed. That wouldn’t even place Thompson in the top half of the league’s highest-paid safeties, making it a reasonable price for a team that rarely hands out long-term deals in free agency.
Parker has preached about being a "multiple" defense, and Thompson was moved all over the secondary in his seven years with the Cardinals. Just last season, he played 389 snaps as a free safety, 320 snaps in the box, and 249 in the slot, per PFF.
Thompson's versatility could appeal to Parker, and Ryan Smith likely has all of the intel necessary about the 27-year-old from their time together. Smith might vouch for his tackling ability, as PFF describes Thompson as "one of the more reliable tacklers at the safety position."
In fact, among safeties with 100 or more tackles the last two seasons, Thompson's 6.3 percent tackle rate ranks fifth. Since the 2023 season, he's posted a 70.1 coverage grade while allowing just six touchdowns, and posting 10 tackles for loss and 18 passes defended.
That two insiders, including one of the most trusted voices on the Cowboys beat in Nick Harris, have connected Thompson to Dallas is very significant.
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.