It's certainly no secret that the top priority for the Dallas Cowboys this offseason was to improve a defense that ranked 30th in the NFL this past season in total yards allowed per game, surrendering 377.0 per game, and dead last in scoring, giving up 30.1 points per contest. The 511 points given up by America's Team, by the way, were the most in franchise history and the sixth-most by any team in more than 100 years of NFL play. Yeah, it was bad.
Jerry Jones got to work in March, engaging in a trade with the Green Bay Packers for edge rusher Rashan Gary, and then brought in more help in free agency, most notably safety Jalen Thompson. And, of course, Dallas had a monster draft last week, using its first three selections on Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, UCF edge rusher Malachi Lawrence, and Michigan hybrid Jaishawn Barham.
The Cowboys also made an under-the-radar trade with the San Francisco 49ers during the draft for inside linebacker Dee Winters. And while this is a fantastic addition as the 25-year-old had a breakout campaign in 2025 with 101 tackles, new defensive coordinator Christian Parker could still use some more depth in this area, and our pal Zach Dimmitt at SI believes that 14-year veteran Bobby Wagner could provide that depth. Here's a little of what Dimmitt had to say:
"There's no doubt that Wagner's career is coming to an end but he has shown the capability to contribute potentially two or three more seasons as a starting-caliber player on defense. Last year in Washington, he put together his 14th straight 100-tackle season with 162 total (79 solo) along with 4.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, six pass breakups and two interceptions.
On top of that production, Wagner has started in all but one of the 68 possible regular-season games the past four years. He's been as durable as any linebacker in the league despite his age."
Bobby Wagner would fit in beautifully with the Dallas Cowboys' defense
The age is obviously a factor, as Wagner turns 36 in June. But as Dimmitt mentioned, the 10-time Pro Bowler still has plenty in the tank, racking up a ridiculous 294 total tackles, 18 tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks for Dan Quinn's Commanders over the last two years.
And it's not as if those 10 Pro Bowl selections were all years and years ago, as he earned the latest trip during the 2024 campaign, also earning a Second-Team All-Pro nod, thus giving him 11 total All-Pro selections for his career (six First-Team, five Second-Team).
Admittedly, Wagner has never been the strongest player when it comes to pass coverage. But this past year, his 90.3 PFF grade run-defense grade ranked fifth among 88 qualifying linebackers, and we all know how much Jerry Jones values a run defender. And his pass-rush mark was even better, with his 92.4 grade ranking second.
So, he still has plenty of overall value. And there's certainly never anything wrong with adding a veteran presence to the locker room.
Now, the issue could end up being money, as he collected $9 million from Washington this past season. The Cowboys likely wouldn't be able or even want to go that high, but if they can get that number down just a touch, this is a no-brainer kind of a move.
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