As of Friday afternoon, those close to the team dropped an update on Leighton Vander Esch and Donovan Wilson.
With the NFL combine kicking off this week, teams have a lot to focus on, and right now, a priority to lock up both Vander Esch and Wilson has taken a back seat for the Dallas Cowboys.
Vander Esch and Wilson both played a huge part in the success of another dominant season for Dan Quinn’s defense. Losing either one of them would be a massive hit to what can be a legendary defense next season.
If Tony Pollard is not hit with the franchise tag, Wilson is next in line as to whom might be receiving it. Wilson led the team in tackles last season with 101, adding nine quarterback hits and five sacks.
While LVE had a “make it or break it year,” he did just that. Without him, the linebacker position struggled at times, and we saw it in a couple of games he missed right before the playoffs.
Cowboys VP Stephen Jones spoke about wanting to re-sign Vander Esch this week, and it sounds like he was on board. “I thought Leighton had a great year. It’ll all just boil down to the economics in terms of where he ends up. He had a hell of a year,” Jones said. Once again, though, he is being cheap.
That said, the first thing the Cowboys need to do is free up some money, and I have discussed how they can do so in my previous posts over the last few weeks. For now, The goal is to get through the combine and see who they may like for April’s draft, then worry about creating space.
With 19 players set to become free agents, the team will be jam-packed for the next few months. Still, if these two guys are far from the top of the list for the Jones family, I have no idea what they are doing.
This team has a peak defense right now, and I would do everything possible to bring back as many players that have played with Quinn the last two years. For starters, bringing him back AGAIN was the best thing they have done thus far. Now do the right thing and get back the players he has a great relationship with.
Nonetheless, it is all he say, she say. Buzz around the team says they are working on something big, something special, and I don’t buy it. They need help resigning the players they need in the locker room next year. I will believe Jerry Jones and the rest of the crew when they start making things official.
Let’s be real here. I think both of these guys come back next year, but I don’t know what the price tag will be. They have plenty of ways to create space to make it happen. Heck, just put the tag on Wilson if need be. They might sign Pollard to a long-term deal instead, I don’t know.
I just want this team to do the right thing and bring the guys back that know this system. Don’t bank on rookies and the draft. Thinking long-term has not done you any good Jerry Jones.
More must-reads: