Jalen Thompson inadvertently explains why the Dallas Cowboys were willing to break their own rules to sign him

Two things we know about the Dallas Cowboys:

1. They don't like to spend a lot in free agency, let alone on a single player.
2. For years, they didn't view safety as a priority.

Their signing of safety Jalen Thompson breaks both of those rules. He, a safety, is the largest free agent signing they've made since they acquired Brandon Carr in 2012. So why did they?

Thompson recently talked about his game and inadvertently helped explain why.

Jalen Thompson is more than a safety

Since Thomson and the Cowboys agreed to a three-year deal worth $33 million, a lot has been made about his position flexibility. In seven years in the NFL, Thompson has made his money playing everywhere along the defensive backfield.

"Wherever the coaches need me," Thompson said last week via The Athletic's Jon Machota. "I definitely see myself playing in the slot. Definitely see myself playing deep safety. Definitely see myself playing strong, free, wherever they need me at. And my film shows it. I'm ready to get it going."

Since taking over as defensive coordinator, Christian Parker has talked about multiplicity and unpredictability as features of his Cowboys defense. Thompson will be a crucial chess piece to achieve that.

Earlier in the month, NFL insider Jane Slater quoted a source on Thompson saying he brings exactly that: “Coverage skills, has nickel flex, has range, understands the system, can help defense be more multiple and less predictable.”

Thompson will reunite with new Cowboys secondary coach Ryan Smith, who was with the Arizona Cardinals.

Thompson wasn't a 'bust the budget' move

While the Cowboys broke a couple of their rules to sign Thompson, another positive of the signing is they didn't overpay for him. Thompson ranks outside of the Top 20 highest-paid safeties in the NFL at $11 million per year.

Even still, he's the headliner of this year's Cowboys free agency class. Expect him to make a big impact in 2026.