Malik Hooker is staying put. On Tuesday, the Cowboys agreed to a new two-year, $8M deal with the veteran safety (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com).
The Ohio State product joined the Cowboys in the 2021 offseason, reuniting with old pal Dan Quinn. At the time, Hooker was coming off of an injury-riddled season in which an Achilles tear limited him to just two games. He inked a one-year prove-it deal, and he indeed proved it. Hooker suited up for a career-high 15 games with three starts, notching 44 stops, two passes defensed and an interception against the Giants in Week 14.
Last time around, the Steelers and Dolphins also showed interest in Hooker. This round of free agency would have seen even more suitors, so the Cowboys didn’t want to roll the dice. Hooker, 26 in April, still has room to grow, so this deal could wind up being extremely team-friendly.
In other Cowboys news, defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence is set to return on a revised deal that will lower his 2022 cap hit.
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