Cowboys Sign Specialist Who Was Drafted Before Russell Wilson: Report

Jerry Jones

Getty The Cowboys continue to be linked to trade rumors.

The Dallas Cowboys are signing punter Bryan Anger which would normally not turn heads without his backstory. The Jaguars went viral during the 2012 NFL Draft for selecting Anger in the third round with the No. 70 pick, an unusually high spot for a punter. It did not help that Anger was selected before a number of players who went on to have stellar NFL careers including franchise quarterback Russell Wilson.

“Cowboys are signing P Bryan Anger to a one-year deal, sources say. Joins Hunter Niswander on the roster after Chris Jones was released last month,” NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo tweeted.

For the Cowboys, Anger does not come with the same sort of baggage that haunted the Jaguars. It is a prudent signing for a player that has a chance to emerge as the team’s starting punter next season. Anger had stints with the Buccaneers and most recently the Texans. The newest Cowboys punter averaged 46.4 yards per punt last season in Houston and has played in all 16 games in eight of his nine NFL seasons.

“A source said Cowboys signed punter Bryan Anger to a one-year deal. Anger averaged 46.4 yards last season for the Texans,” The Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins noted on Twitter. “Anger brings some competition to the group that has Hunter Niswander.”


Anger’s High Draft Selection Prompted the ‘Punters Are People Too’ Phrase to Go Viral

Anger’s high draft selection prompted NFL Network’s Rich Eisen to declare “punters are people, too” which went viral. The phrase would later be featured on t-shirts, but Anger appeared to take all the attention in stride.

“As long as I perform, people will realize what’s going on and [be] kind of quiet, I guess,” Anger told Jacksonville.com shortly after he was drafted. “Kickers and punters never really get attention unless something goes really, really wrong, so hopefully that doesn’t happen.”


The Cowboys Have Been Bargain Shoppers in Free Agency

Signing Anger is not the big free-agent splash that Cowboys fans are hoping for this offseason. Yet, field position is still important and adding Anger gives the team a chance to add an edge in that department heading into 2021. The Cowboys have mostly been bargain shoppers in free agency, a bit ironic given Jerry Jones’ comments during Dak Prescott’s recent press conference.

“The truth is most anything that I’ve ever been involved in that ended up being special, I overpaid for, every time, to the end,” Jones said, per Pro Football Talk. “Anytime I’ve tried to get a bargain, I got just that, it was a bargain in a lot of ways and not up to standard.”

Jones may not like looking for deals but with Prescott along with Ezekiel Elliott’s massive contracts, the Cowboys have to cut costs in other places. Dallas is looking for bargains as a way to compensate for Prescott and others receiving a good chunk of their cap space. We have seen the Cowboys be active in attempting to improve their defense with the additions of several players including Keanu Neal, Tarell Bashem and Damontae Kazee. Fans can expect the team re-signing Prescott to be the Cowboys’ major move of the offseason.