The Cowboys have been connected to a host of pass rushers over the past week, and despite the team agreeing to terms with Dante Fowler, another addition here appears in play.
Linked to Jason Pierre-Paul on Sunday, the Cowboys have also engaged in discussions with Za’Darius Smith. Those talks were believed to have occurred before Smith’s since-nixed Ravens deal, but Dallas remains interested in the again-available edge defender, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com notes. The NFC East champions are making a push for Smith to be Randy Gregory's replacement, Wilson notes, pointing to the team not intending to give Fowler that starting role just yet.
Smith backed out of a four-year, $35M Ravens agreement. That development pointed to the ex-Packers Pro Bowler having a more lucrative option on the radar. While Gregory did have an immediate backup plan, signing with the Broncos, Smith remains a free agent days after his agreement fell through. The former Ravens draftee is coming off a season in which a back injury limited him to two games, which made the Baltimore agreement a seemingly nice parachute for the cap casualty.
Dallas has signed Fowler to a one-year deal and re-signed Dorance Armstrong to a two-year, $13M pact. Smith’s stature would certainly point to the Cowboys making him DeMarcus Lawrence's top edge partner, with Fowler and Armstrong in rotational roles, should the Cowboys finalize an agreement. Prior to his injury-marred 2021, Smith combined for 26 sacks from 2019-20. Smith, who was also linked to the Chiefs weeks ago, will turn 30 in September.
More must-reads: