Getty Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones signs an autograph before an NFL game.
The Dallas Cowboys have made several key moves this offseason, but they are now being linked for a former All-Pro and recent ex of the Washington Commanders. While the team has focused on weapons, the team could turn its attention to the big guys with guard Andrew Norwell.
SI.com recently explored the idea of the team adding Norwell, who is a free agent after a singular season with the Commanders. The 31-year-old had previously plied his trade for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Carolina Panthers over an eight-year span.
The Cowboys have their offensive line set, but both angles make the argument that the team can’t have enough depth and is lacking a starter-quality option to compete for the left guard spot with Tyler Smith.
Norwell boasts a strong NFL resume and should still be able to produce at a decent level at 31 years old. The primary concern is that Norwell hasn’t been the player he was while with the Panthers, but the Cowboys don’t need him to be an All-Pro.
Instead, he just has to be solid. And it’s not like the Cowboys’ offensive line is lacking established veterans, but having another one to teach Tyler Smith about interior blocking can’t be a bad thing.
Norwell Could Be Affordable Free Agency Option
A big reason why Norwell can potentially work as a new roster addition is that he should be fairly cheap. As SI.com’s Drake Toll pointed out, he was already on a reasonable deal with the Commanders last season.
“Norwell would also be a very cheap option,” Toll wrote. “Set to earn $4.42 million from the Commanders in 2023, Dallas could punch far below that number and win a lineman who has started 127 career games – all of this assuming, of course, that personnel boss Will McClay and his staff agree with that ‘something left in the tank” take.”
It’s not clear what that number could be, but the idea of getting someone of Norwell’s quality for $2-3 million a season is tantalizing. It’s a low-risk option that could end up providing the insurance that could drastically help the Cowboys’ season.
According to Spotrac, Dallas has $24.1 million in cap space. Signing Norwell would leave a small dent, but plenty of room to handle contract extensions or make other additions in free agency.
Cowboys Also Linked to Former Broncos Lineman
Besides being named a landing spot for Norwell, the Cowboys are also being linked to former Denver Broncos guard Dalton Risner. Risner is also a free agent, but is currently in his prime and would cost accordingly.
Blogging the Boys’ Chris Halling recently explored the idea, stating that Risner isn’t a stop-gap fix but a long-term solution.
“Signing Risner to a contract would give the Cowboys a lot more protection and stability at their left guard spot,” Halling explains. “Risner still has plenty of football left to be played in his career, so he can not only fill the hole for the Cowboys immediately, but he could give the team a consistent left guard for a few more seasons.”
Risner spent the last four seasons with the Broncos, starting 62 of a possible 66 games.