6 Free Agents the Cowboys Should Sign Before NFL Draft

4. Teair Tart, DT

It appears as though Mike Zimmer is fixing one of the mistakes Dan Quinn made in 2023. The former Dallas defensive coordinator did a lot of good for this defense but his decision to move Mazi Smith out of the nose tackle spot was confusing.

Even worse, he had the 337-pounder drop roughly 30 pounds in hopes of making him quicker. This resulted in what amounted to a lost season for Smith who was far from impactful. He not only couldn't use his speed to generate a pass rush but he didn't have the strength we saw in Michigan to stop the run.

With Johnathan Hankins leaving in free agency, that has Smith in line to start as the 1-tech. The only concern is that we didn't get to see him prove himself in this role as a rookie. That's why adding someone who can start, if needed, would be a smart play.

Enter Teair Tart, who spent nearly four years with the Tennessee Titans.

An undrafted free agent, Tart developed into a starting nose tackle and had 34 tackles and 1.5 sacks in 2022. He was retained as a restricted free agent in 2023 and after 11 games was released. He grew frustrated in his role and the Titans decided it was best to move on.

Tart finished the season with the Houston Texans but hardly made any noise. He's also been quiet in free agency.

Dallas could take advantage of this while giving him a home to prove himself in 2024. Then, he can hit the open market again in 2025 with more momentum.