Dallas Cowboys: Five Free Agent Safeties to Target
By Reid Hanson
It’s no mystery the Dallas Cowboys need to find a safety or four this offseason. With Xavier Woods set to depart in the free agency, the cupboard is bare heading into the 2021 season. Only third year pro, Donovan Wilson, is worth bringing back, meaning Dallas needs to find a starter and depth this offseason.
Under defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, the Dallas Cowboys are making a move back to the familiar Cover 3 system they rode so hard in the Marinelli/Richard era. The system operates with a free safety patrolling centerfield and a safety in the box. This single high look demands a lot from its free safety and with Donovan Wilson penciled in as the box safety, free safety has to be the target for Dallas this offseason.
Today we’re looking at the five most optimal free agent free safeties for the Dallas Cowboys.
The Dallas Cowboys aren’t known to be big spenders in free agency, even if a need is as severe as this appears to be. So we’re going to look at a variety of possible targets who could fit the bill in centerfield.
Note: By all accounts, the Denver Broncos are going to lock down Justin Simmons so we’re not going to discuss him, no matter how good he may be.
Related Story. Assessing the Cowboys offseason needs. light
Anthony Harris
Anthony Harris has quietly become one the NFL’s best safeties over the past few years. The free safety from Minnesota has been a key cog in Mike Zimmer’s Cover-2 defense and has the kind of range and discipline to play in Dallas’ single high scheme.
This past week, Sport DFW’s Dink Kearney highlighted Harris as a player Dallas needs to sign to turn their team around in 2021. It’s packed full of stats, numbers and grades, so be sure to check out his argument.
Harris took a step back last year but that appeared to be an anomaly given his track record. At age 30, he’s a little older than you’d like and considering he’s going command top-of-the-market prices, Dallas probably won’t get involved. But if the Cowboys want to shore things up in a hurry, Harris is their best option so we’ll include him here.