Getty Former Atlanta Falcons linebacker Rashaan Evans celebrates after a play.
The Dallas Cowboys have added new blood through the 2023 NFL draft, but there are still major opportunities in free agency.
It has been an eventful offseason for Dallas with important trades, releases and contract restructures framing the Cowboys’ journey to the 2023 season. However, there are still a couple of needs on the roster.
Inside the Star writer Damon Smith believes the Cowboys should be looking for an addition at linebacker and that former Atlanta Falcons and Tennessee Titans LB Rashaan Evans could be the type of low-risk, high-reward signing that could pay off.
“For Evans, there is a path to significant snaps given the injury history of [Leighton] Vander Esch and [Damone] Clark and the uncertainty behind them,” Smith writes. “For the Cowboys, it’s a deal they can easily get out of with little cap impact if the combination of Cox/Harper/Overshown shows enough to make Evans expendable.”
It’s a fair point, as Vander Esch has only played a full season once since joining Dallas in 2018. Clark had injury issues at LSU and only played in 10 games as a rookie in 2022.
Evans isn’t guaranteed to elevate the Cowboys to a higher ceiling, but the floor would be raised considerably. In terms of a free agency gamble on a player, Evans has huge upside and a great football pedigree.
Evans Tries to Find Footing with Falcons
As a standout player at Alabama, there was significant expectations for Evans when he was drafted by the Titans with the No. 22 pick in 2018. The 6’2″ linebacker seemingly has all the athletic tools to succeed at the NFL level.
And in some ways, he has succeeded. Evans cracked the 100-tackle mark during the 2019 season, chipping in 2.5 sacks according to Pro Football Reference. But his 2020 and 2021 seasons saw significant drops in productions, and the former Crimson Tide star was not offered a second contract by the Titans.
The Falcons signed Evans in free agency during the 2022 offseason, giving him a one-year $1.75 million deal according to Spotrac. It was a “prove-it” deal, and it’s hard to say Evans didn’t do that.
The 27-year-old totaled 159 tackles, adding two sacks, four passes defended and a forced fumble. Playing and starting in all 17 games is a great sign too, as Evans is clearly healthy and his production reverted to the flashes fans saw in 2019.
Cowboys Can Add Evans for Cut Price
Despite Evans coming off a strong season, he is still without a team. The free agent could find a home in the post-draft wave of signings, but it’s a warning sign that he hasn’t found a team yet.
The Cowboys are in a great position to take a risk on Evans thanks to their options at linebacker and salary cap space. Dallas has an estimated $16.65 million in cap space, which will fluctuate with rookie signings and roster cuts.
Even if Evans wanted a deal worth double his contract with the Falcons, say $4 million, the Cowboys can afford that with ease. Building incentives for Evans also makes sense and would create a deal that both sides would be happy with.
At worst, Dallas adds a talented but ineffective linebacker in a key depth spot. At best, the Cowboys and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn can build off Evans’ 2022 season and set him up to start or contribute consistently.