Getty The Cowboys are not expected to bring back Gerald McCoy.
After earlier indications of the Dallas Cowboys bringing back Gerald McCoy, it appears the front office has had a change of heart as the defensive tackle remains on the free-agent market. Sports Illustrated’s Mike Fisher reported the Cowboys have no plans to re-sign McCoy.
“And even earlier this spring, when Cowboys COO Stephen Jones talked of the important components of the Dallas D-line, he mentioned McCoy – even though the player wasn’t even under contract,” Fisher explained. “Now we’ve gone through free agency and the NFL Draft … and McCoy still isn’t under contract. And two sources tell CowboysSI.com that Dallas has no plans to change that.”
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The Cowboys Appear to Have Changed Course on McCoy’s Future
Fisher previously reported on March 2nd that the Cowboys were “planning on a 2021 reunion” with the defensive tackle. McCoy’s fate was likely not helped by the Cowboys focusing almost exclusively on defense in the draft. We saw starting defensive tackle Antwaun Woods become a cap casualty days after the Cowboys brought in an extensive rookie class.
“Defensive tackle Gerald McCoy never quite got the chance to prove himself on the field in 2020, as he was injured during the first padded practice of training camp here at The Star,” Fisher noted on March 2nd. “But in rehabbing from his quad injury – which caused the Cowboys to release him and escape the $6 million APY he’d just signed – McCoy proved himself in other ways. And that’s among the reason a source close to the situation tells CowboysSI.com that Dallas and McCoy are planning on a 2021 reunion.”
Now, all signs point to McCoy never playing in a game for the Cowboys despite the team signing him to a three-year deal last offseason. The Cowboys released McCoy during the 2020 training camp after his quad injury.
McCoy on Future: ‘I Know I Can Still Be an Asset to a Team’
McCoy has spent the offseason campaigning for another opportunity. During an April interview with the Tampa Bay Times, McCoy hinted at still waiting to receive an offer from a team for next season.
“For me, I just love this game so much, it’s still fun to me,” McCoy said. “I love competing. I just know what my mindset was going into last season and I don’t want an injury or what the NFL deems ‘age’ to be a derailment and finish like that. I know I can still be an asset to a team, whether it’s sparingly, as a starter, in the locker room, whatever it is. In training camp, a mentor to the young kids.”
McCoy added that all he needs is “one team” to believe in him to land a new deal. The defensive tackle admitted there is some skepticism from teams about his health.
“I just need that one team,” McCoy added. “And it will happen. I’m not saying I’m desperate. I just need that one team that will make that decision and I believe they’ll get more than they bargained for and I’m ready to show that. … I’m locked in. Whenever a team calls and says, ‘Gerald, it’s time,’ I’ll be ready.”