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The Dallas Cowboys still have time and cap space to add in free agency, and the team continues to be linked to a former Tampa Bay Buccaneers star.
Heavy has previously covered that the Cowboys are in the market to upgrade their front seven, with names like ex-Minnesota Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr being linked to Dallas. In terms of a free-agent addition on the defensive line, ex-Buccaneers Jason Pierre-Paul has stuck out.
ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler first linked Pierre-Paul to the Cowboys back in March, and now Sports Illustrated’s Mike Fisher is addressing the latest links. However, Fisher insinuates that the Cowboys aren’t actually that interested, and that the former Tampa Bay defensive end’s agent is the one generating the news.
“At some point, once the same national reporter continually beats the same drum,” Fisher wrote on May 25. “It begins to feel less like a concept gurgling out of The Star and more like the idea of a persistently texting agent. That doesn’t make [signing Pierre-Paul] a bad idea.”
Fisher has a point, as Pierre-Paul is still available after his contract ran out and around two months of free agency has passed. It’s good that the three-time Pro Bowler is still available in case Dallas actually wants to sign him, but it also shows that teams aren’t in a rush to pay JPP in 2022.
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Pierre-Paul Resurges with Buccaneers
In terms of the most recognizable NFL players, Pierre-Paul is in the conversation thanks to his longevity and consistent production. Since being drafted by the New York Giants in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft, the defensive lineman has played 165 games over 12 years according to Pro Football Reference.
Pierre-Paul’s 16.5 sacks in the Giants’ Super Bowl campaign in 2011 earned him first-team All-Pro and immediately put him on the map as a top pass-rusher in the NFL. That being said, his production for New York was somewhat inconsistent from that point on, as he had four seasons with seven sacks or less from 2012 to 2017.
A move to Tampa Bay in 2018 reignited the former South Florida standout’s career. In his first three seasons, JPP played 42 games and put up 30.5 sacks, including 12.5 in 2018. Of course, he also earned his second Super Bowl ring with the Buccaneers in 2020.
However, his output dropped significantly in 2022. Pierre-Paul only played 12 games for the Buccaneers, earning 2.5 sacks and forcing one fumble. His slow down is a warning sign, but it’s also still clear that JPP can contribute at this age.
Cowboys Declare Free Agency Intentions
The Cowboys being in the mix for big-name free agents like Pierre-Paul isn’t just Fowler’s report or Fisher’s thoughts, the Cowboys have outright declared that they’re open to adding to the team before the fall.
“I will say this, free agency’s not over,” Cowboys CEO Stephen Jones said in a April 26 pre-draft press conference. “There’s different waves of it and there’s still going to be opportunities to improve different areas of our team other than the draft or college free agency. I think that still can happen and probably will happen.”
Since Jones’ statement, the Cowboys have not added any prominent free agents to the team, only signing a UDFA class along with the 2022 NFL draft picks.
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