Dan Quinn tried (and failed) to steal Cowboys fan favorite in free agency

When Dan Quinn was hired as head coach of the Washington Commanders, it was a foregone conclusion that he would bring over multiple Dallas Cowboys free agents. Ironically, the one player everyone thought Quinn would sign, safety Jayron Kearse, is still a free agent.

If Quinn's Commanders were to sign Kearse, that would make it five former Cowboys he has signed since the start of free agency.

Quinn got the ball rolling by signing defensive end Dorance Armstrong to a three-year deal. He swiftly inked center Tyler Biadasz to a near-identical contract. A few weeks later, Dante Fowler, who played for Quinn in Atlanta before joining Dallas in 2022, inked a one-year deal with the Commanders.

Finally, Quinn even signed depth cornerback and special teamer Noah Igbinoghene, whom the Cowboys acquired from the Dolphins last August in a straight swap for former second-round pick Kelvin Joseph.

As it turns out, Quinn did try to bring five Cowboys to Washington. However, the former DC was rebuffed because the player preferred to stay in Dallas.

Jourdan Lewis reportedly rejected Dan Quinn to remain with the Cowboys

According to Patrik Walker of the the team's official website, "Lewis chose to stick with the Cowboys over joining the train to Washington." The terms of Quinn's supposed offer are unknown, but it seems that Quinn did, in fact, try to lure Lewis to the nation's capital.

Lewis agreed to terms with the Cowboys a day into the free agency frenzy. It was a savvy move considering that Stephon Gilmore, who's still a free agent, was always a long shot to re-sign.

Furthermore, Dallas got Lewis at great value. Per reports, Lewis' one-year deal is worth just $2.827 in guaranteed money and his 2024 cap hit is south of $2 million. That's absurd given that Lewis was one of the defense's top performers in the second half of the season. His play proved that he had fully recovered from his devastating Lisfranc injury, which took him to a dark place mentally while he rehabbed.

Lewis does all of the little things that make an effective slot cornerback. He's a strong tackler and is more than willing to get dirty defending the run. In fact, his 91.2 run-defense grade last season was second-highest on the team, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Only Demarcus Lawrence had a higher grade. He also missed the fewest tackles and logged the fifth-highest tackling grade.

A third-round pick in 2017, Lewis is approaching his eighth season with the Cowboys. He'll also play for his fourth defensive coordinator. Incredibly, Lewis is head and shoulders a better fit in Mike Zimmer's scheme relative to Quinn's.

We don't fault Quinn for trying to steal Lewis away. The Commanders' secondary desperately needed an overhaul. However, the 28-year-old's loyalty clearly lied with Dallas. The train to Washington was at full capacity from where Lewis was standing.

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