Dak Prescott could help Cowboys land star free agent for Mike Zimmer

The Dallas Cowboys have attributed their dormant offseason to the salary cap and looming contract extensions for Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb. Both are lame excuses, but fans will better be able to stomach the front office's lack of aggression if they lock up Prescott and Lamb by training camp.

Quiet offseasons have become the norm in Dallas. So much so that the hiring of Mike Zimmer to replace Dan Quinn as defensive coordinator has generated more excitement than any roster move the Cowboys have made, excluding draft picks.

While Zimmer inherits a talent-soaked defense, it's fair to question if he's set up for success. The defensive tackle room is one of the worst in the NFL and the linebacker room is as top-heavy as it is inexperienced and reliant on recent draft picks.

Zimmer's defenses historically have fared well against the run, but the Cowboys are asking to stumble again in January if they don't add another nose tackle. A trade might be the most realistic path to add a difference-maker, but in the meantime there are free agents at other positions that would make Zimmer's life easier.

There's one free agent in particular that could find his way to Dallas thanks to Dak Prescott.

Star free agent Justin Simmons linked to Cowboys thanks to Dak Prescott

A four-time Second-Team All-Pro, safety Justin Simmons is a free agent after an eight-year stint with the Broncos. The 30-year-old posted a clip over the weekend from his annual youth football camp and was rocking a Dallas hat from "True Brvnd," which is Prescott's signature hat.

Prescott partnered with "True Brvnd" in collaboration with his Faith Fight Finish Foundation. It was a limited edition sale in 2023 signed by Prescott, which makes it all the more noteworthy that Simmons has one.

Safety is one of the Cowboys' strongest position groups, but no "contender" should turn its nose up at adding high-level players and Simmons has been either a Pro Bowler or All-Pro for five seasons running. The former third-round pick led all safeties in 2023 with six interceptions and his 14 interceptions since 2021 trail only Trevon Diggs for the most in the NFL.

Simmons is a big play waiting to happen, but his fit on the Cowboys is questionable at best. He plays mostly as a deep-lying safety. That role belongs to Malik Hooker, who had another strong season in 2023 with a 71.3 coverage grade and 89.0 run-defense grade, per Pro Football Focus.

While Dallas doesn't have another true free safety, Donovan Wilson, Markquese Bell and Juanyeh Thomas round out one of the deepest safety rooms in the league. If healthy, Wilson will play close to 80% of the snaps, and Bell and Thomas played well enough last year to be entrusted with a bigger role.

Bell made 94 tackles after converting to linebacker mid-season and Mike McCarthy all but confirmed that Thomas deserves more playing time.

Simmons would be a fun pairing with Zimmer, but signing a 30-year-old safety who's likely demanding a high price (why else is he still a free agent?) would be a questionable use of resources given that money is tight and Dallas has two rock-solid veterans and a pair of up-and-coming studs at the position.

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