Hurting for healthy blockers, the Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday signed offensive tackle Pace Murphy to a two-year deal, the Dallas Morning News’ Michael Gehlken reported.
Murphy earned the contract following a three-OT tryout (which included Bryan Witzmann and Dieugot Joseph) at the conclusion of Tuesday’s practice.
A 2016 undrafted free agent, Murphy began his NFL career with the Los Angeles Rams, appearing in one game during his rookie year. He was waived at final cuts in 2017.
He spent that season on the San Francisco 49ers’ practice squad and much of the 2018 campaign on the Kansas City Chiefs’ practice team. Waived by the Chiefs in 2019, Murphy landed on the Dallas Renegades of the XFL, which folded league operations back in April.
Murphy (6-6, 308) played collegiately at Northwestern State.
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Fit in Dallas
Murphy provides needed backup depth with the depth chart in flummox. As previously reported, starting right tackle La’el Collins will miss “some time” due to an unspecified but minor injury. Reserve lineman Cameron Erving, too, is battling an “ailment,” per Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy.
With Collins’ replacement, Brandon Knight, also slow out of the gates to start training camp, the Cowboys were forced to plug 2019 UDFA Wyatt Miller at RT. And the experiment has not gone well — the worst of which came Tuesday. From the team’s official website:
Lawrence absolutely terrorized Terence Steele and Wyatt Miller, who have been playing right tackle due to the absences. Lawrence got to Dak Prescott at least three times for would-be “sacks,” and he collapsed the pocket and forced Prescott to scramble another two or three times.
The biggest of those “sacks” came on the final play of the two-minute drill. The offense trailed, 21-17, in an end-of-game situation. Prescott had driven them 61 yards by completing 6-of-7 passes, setting the offense up at the 4-yard line with five seconds to play. On the game-deciding snap, Lawrence tore around the right side for a game-sealing sack. Of course, since it was practice and Prescott couldn’t be sacked, he proceeded to break out of the pocket looking for a target. It ultimately didn’t matter, as he had to force a throw into the end zone, where it was ultimately intercepted by Xavier Woods.
Odds & Ends
In related and slightly good news, Knight ramped up his practice work, returning to on-field drills after recently training along the sideline with the medical staff.
And an interesting aside: It’s telling that Dallas gave Murphy, 26, a two-year contract, which is unusual for what most consider a camp body. Evidently, the front office feels he possesses developmental upside beyond 2020.
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Cowboys Sign Ex-Chiefs Offensive Tackle to 2-Year Contract: Report