Getty The Cowboys are expected to sign Malik Hooker.
The Dallas Cowboys are expected to make another addition by signing former Colts safety Malik Hooker. The move is pending Hooker’s visit with the team which will include another medical checkup, per Dallas Morning News’ Michael Gehlken.
“Free agent S Malik Hooker is visiting the Cowboys for a second time this offseason,” Gehlken tweeted. “And this time, the pairing should stick. As long as everything checks out physically, team is expected to sign Hooker, source said. He’d make a full 90-man roster.”
Hooker was a highly-touted prospect coming out of Ohio State and was selected by the Colts with the No. 15 pick of the 2017 NFL Draft. The safety has missed significant time with injuries in two of his four NFL seasons. Hooker played a total of 15 games in his last two seasons with the Colts.
Hooker Is Visiting With the Cowboys for the Second Time This Offseason
According to CBS Sports’ Patrik Walker, Hooker’s future with the Cowboys is very much dependent on his medical status. Hooker already visited with the Cowboys in March and the team opted to pass on the safety in favor of Damontae Kazee.
“I’m told Cowboys will revisit with Malik Hooker, who they passed on to add Damontae Kazee earlier this offseason — largely due to Kazee being farther ahead in his injury recovery,” Walker said in a series of tweets. “Kazee still healthy, but DAL wants to gauge Hooker’s health months later. Med very important. Yes, the Cowboys were completely out on Malik Hooker initially following his first med look but, months later, they feel he’s in a much better place.
“Only thing left is: 1. For his physical to show it. 2. The money to be reasonable. Stay tuned. Any reports of the Cowboys having had an offer on the table for Hooker prior to now remain false. This is a true revisit. Offer would come only if condition No. 1 (above) is met. If signed, the safety competition would hit a new level. Finally.”
The Cowboys Are Expected to Stick With Their Current Group of Corners
The move comes just days after Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones indicated the team felt good about their secondary, particularly at cornerback. The Cowboys continue to be mentioned as a possible landing spot for available corners via trade, but Jones noted the team feels confident in their current group.
“No, we made a major commitment to the corner position in the draft,” Jones told reporters. “I know a lot of people felt like maybe we should have come away with a corner with that first pick, but philosophically we felt like the corners that were worthy of that first pick in that area we were in were not there. Obviously, we feel great about Micah [Parsons], but then went ahead to address the corner position as the draft went on. I think the coaches feel good, we feel good about the corners that we picked to go along with the veteran corners we have in Diggs and Brown and J-Lew [Jourdan Lewis]. You know, I think it’s a great group out there.”
During his first visit, the Cowboys did not appear sold on Hooker’s recovery from a season-ending Achilles injury. Hooker’s signing would indicate the team feels the safety has progressed since his March visit.