Dallas Cowboys safety Jayron Kearse is coming up on yet another round of contract talks with his squad, but the starting defender isn’t letting thoughts of the future distract him from the team’s goal this year.
Discussing his upcoming free agency this week, Kearse told reporters it serves as motivation, but his goal is to play “good football” regardless of his deal status.
“It’s part of this business,” Kearse said, via Jon Machota. “I just go play football. I can’t do anything about the contract situation.”
“Either way, though, I have to go play good football,” he added. “That’s just what I move by, understanding that I got to play good ball. Regardless of what I feel like I’m worth, what I feel like I deserve won’t come. Good football is my main objective. Everything else will handle itself, God willing.”
The Cowboys signed Kearse to one one-year deal in 2021 before they ponied up for a two-year deal worth $10 million last spring.
He started in 15 of Dallas’s 17 games this past season while battling off-and-on injuries. In those 15 games, he recorded a total of 101 tackles, 67 solo, nine tackles for loss, two interceptions, and one sack.
After going in the seventh round to the Minnesota Vikings out of Clemson back in 2016, Kearse has had stops with the Detroit Lions and the Baltimore Ravens before finally landing with the Cowboys. Though many fans would like to see the safety remain with Dallas through the remainder of his career, there are several others to consider for big deals next offseason – including Micah Parsons.
Kearse reverts to No. 1 jersey from Clemson Days
Kearse was among the five players assigned new numbers on Thursday ahead of the 2023 regular season.
Formerly No. 27, Kearse is switching to the No. 1 jersey, which is the number he wore during his collegiate playing days at Clemson.
Asked whether “Clemson Kearse” is coming back to the field, the safety said, “Yes sir, back at it.”
“Back to my college days,” Kearse said on Thursday, via DallasCowboys.com. “It was a good time in college. I had a lot of good plays, so I’m trying to recapture that before this season starts. It’s like when I first got here and I went from No. 32 to No. 27. It just felt good, mentally, like, ‘Alright, I got my number back. I’m good.’
“So, now I’m in No. 1, and I’m hoping to take that next step. You can’t miss a No. 1 on the field.”
Along with Kearse, kicker Brandon Aubrey (17), safety Markquese Bell (14), fullback Hunter Luepke (40), and new cornerback Noah Igbinoghene (19) also received new numbers.
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