Getty The Dallas Cowboys could allow S Jayron Kearse to walk in free agency.
A longtime Dallas Cowboys starter could soon be on the way out.
As proposed by Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine, the Buffalo Bills could be an ideal landing spot for Cowboys starting strong safety Jayron Kearse. Kearse will be a free agent during the 2024 offseason and the Cowboys could allow the 29-year-old veteran to walk in free agency.
Ballentine argues that Kearse could give the Bills “exactly what they need” in 2024.
“Jayron Kearse is not a long-term solution,” writes Ballentine. “He’s 29 years old and giving him a long-term contract would just have them in this same situation in the near future. However, he could be exactly what they need in 2024.”
Why the Cowboys Could Allow Jayron Kearse to Walk
Kearse is currently in the final year of a two-year, $10 million deal he signed during the 2022 offseason. In three seasons spent with Dallas, Kearse has started 38 of his 42 appearances while racking up 232 tackles and four interceptions.
However, Kearse’s play hasn’t exactly been strong this season. According to Pro Football Focus, Kearse has posted a lowly 48.2 defensive grade and 46.0 grade in coverage this season. Among safeties with at least 100 defensive snaps, Kearse is the 11th-lowest graded safety in defensive grade and the eighth-lowest graded safety in coverage.
In fact, Kearse’s playing time has seen a decline as the Cowboys have opted to allow other defensive backs to garner more playing time. Kearse has appeared in 78% of the defensive snaps this season compared to 88% of the snaps during the 2022 season and 94% of the snaps during the 2021 season.
It wasn’t too long ago that Ballentine actually wrote that the Cowboys should have traded Kearse at the deadline back in October.
“Earlier in the season Kearse was on the field for every defensive snap. Since the by week, he’s seen a reduction in those snaps,” Ballentine wrote on November 8. “Donovan Wilson and Malik Hooker are playing more than Kearse with Juanyeh Thomas waiting in the wings. Kearse is a good player, but the Cowboys had an opportunity to trade from a position of strength to either address a need or get more draft picks. With Kearse set to leave in free agency, it might have been wise to see what they could get for him.”
Considering both Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson are under contract through the 2026 season, expect the Cowboys to allow Kearse to walk in free agency while possibly adding a young safety through the 2024 NFL Draft.
Jerry Jones on Dak Prescott: He’s the MVP
It’s safe to say the Cowboys are riding high after their 33-13 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
Quarterback Dak Prescott continued to solidify his case as the potential MVP after completing 24-of-39 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns. The Cowboys now lead the NFC East with a 10-3 record by virtue of tiebreaker over the Eagles.
Team owner Jerry Jones didn’t hold back in his assessment of Prescott’s play following the game, calling Prescott the “most valuable player” in the league.
“I would say he’s become the most valuable player right before our eyes in the last several months,” Jones said.
Prescott currently leads the league with 28 touchdown passes, ranks second in passer rating and ranks third in passing yards. According to FanDuel’s betting odds, Prescott is now the favorite to win the MVP award at +150 odds.
If the Cowboys end up winning the NFC East and Prescott continues his hot level of play, it’s hard to argue against the idea of Prescott winning the MVP award.