Getty Former Baltimore Ravens linebacker LJ Fort celebrates after a big play.
The Dallas Cowboys may have scraped out the win against the Houston Texans on Sunday, but it showed there are still places the team can improve in free agency.
Dallas looked anemic on defense to start the game, as Texans RB Dameon Pierce scored early and was setting up easier passing opportunities for QBs Davis Mills and Jeff Driskel. Dallas allowed 114 total rushing yards, which is very close to their weekly average.
As a result, the Cowboys are being urged to add to the linebacker group by Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox. According to the analyst, one of the first names Dallas should consider is ex-Baltimore Ravens linebacker L.J. Fort.
Knox writes that Fort makes a “ton of sense” for both the Cowboys and the New York Giants, highlighting Dallas’ issues in run defense as a reason why the veteran linebacker could work for head coach Mike McCarthy.
“The Dallas Cowboys might want to consider signing Fort before the rival Giants have a chance to,” Knox writes. “Dallas came into Week 14 allowing 4.6 yards per carry and struggled to contain Dameon Pierce and the Houston Texans’ ground game on Sunday. The Cowboys are closer to securing a playoff berth than New York, but they could use a defensive boost over the final month.”
Fort Goes from Steelers to Ravens (with a Stop in Philly)
Coming out of Northern Iowa, Fort did not have a major profile when entering the league ahead of the 2012 NFL season. He was, unsurprisingly, undrafted that spring but did earn his way onto the Cleveland Browns roster and played in 16 games.
However, Pro Football Reference shows that a full season as a rookie wasn’t a guarantee that he would be a regular player in the NFL. Between 2013 and 2015, Fort made just one NFL appearance and hopped around several times.
But the 32-year-old pressed on and carved out a place with the Steelers, where he would make 44 appearances. In his final year in Pittsburgh in 2018, he broke through to the starting lineup and earned 38 solo tackles and a sack.
The following season, Fort started with the Philadelphia Eagles but was released after just four games and headed to Baltimore. In the time since Fort has started 16 total games and made 26 appearances.
Fort notched two sacks, six tackles for loss, and 32 solo tackles over the 2019 and 2020 seasons. However, a torn ACL in the 2021 preseason cut short his time with the Ravens and also makes him a potentially risky investment.
Risk for the Cowboys
While Fort would undoubtedly be a cheap signing, the primary issue is Fort’s age and most recent injury. A full ACL tear is always a warning sign, and the Cowboys need someone who can contribute without fear of injury.
It’s partially why the Odell Beckham Jr. saga has taken so long. Dallas and owner Jerry Jones don’t want to throw money at someone who can’t take the field, whether it’s a big-money move or a more reasonable contract like what Fort can get.
That being said, there are worse ideas than Fort as a way to shore up the run defense. Teams win championships in the trenches, and becoming more difficult to defeat on the ground could do a lot for Dallas in the playoffs.