Beggars can't be choosers, and the Dallas Cowboys can use as much help as they can get right now. Their offense was one of the best in the game last season, but their defense, especially against the pass, was atrocious.
That's why Brian Schottenheimer and Jerry Jones brought in Christian Parker to serve as their next defensive coordinator. They've revamped the defensive coaching staff, and that should help with much more than just game-planning and coaching.
As is usually the case, new assistant coaches will also come with new players. And now that Derrick Ansley is their new defensive pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach, Dallas might have the upper hand in landing Nasir Adderley, who recently announced his decision to unretire.
Nasir Adderley is an Intriguing Option for the Dallas Cowboys
"The freedom to manage my own schedule was very important to me, but what I didn't realize was how much I'd miss having football in my life," Adderley wrote on X. "Therefore, I am officially announcing my intention to return to the NFL."
Of course, Adderley has been away from the game for three years now, so even if he's still in pretty good shape, he might need plenty of conditioning before he's reacclimated to NFL speed. At least, he has more than enough time to do so before the start of the season.
While he wasn't a superstar, he would be a solid low-risk/high-reward move for the Cowboys, especially given that he won't demand a steep salary, which is perhaps the most important part of this whole equation.
Derrick Ansley was Adderley's defensive backs coach during his final two seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers. There's some familiarity there, and Ansley would certainly benefit from bringing in someone who already knows his system as he implements his style of play in Arlington.
The Cowboys will probably lose Donovan Wilson in free agency, and Malik Hooker's contract situation makes him a likely cut candidate. There are plenty of needs in the secondary, and even with his retirement, Adderley is just 28 years old. He's technically just entering his physical prime.
Adderley posted some decent numbers in his final year. He appeared in 16 games, including 15 starts, for the Chargers in 2022, logging 62 total tackles (39 solo) to go along with four passes defensed, two interceptions, one forced fumble, and one tackle for loss. This clearly isn't a huge gamble or the biggest move of the offseason, but it's a risk worth taking.