Getty The Cowboys could be an ideal landing spot for ex-Commanders LB Jon Bostic.
The Dallas Cowboys could be an ideal landing spot for former Washington Commanders linebacker Jon Bostic.
As suggested by Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox, the Cowboys “must target” the 32-year-old linebacker. Bostic is one of the more experienced linebackers in the NFL, having started 86 of his 121 appearances during his 10-year career.
Why Jon Bostic Would Be Bargain Signing for Cowboys
Knox argues that Bostic would be a bargain level signing and could help upgrade the Cowboys’ run defensive unit.
“Defensively, Dallas should be looking for ways to upgrade its run defense,” writes Knox. “The Cowboys ranked 23rd in yards per carry allowed last season, and in a conference that features run-first teams like the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles, that’s a problem.”
As Knox also mentions, Bostic has finished the past two seasons on injured reserve, appearing in just 19 games over that time frame. However, he did play in 15 games last season before ending up on injured reserve due ta a torn pectoral injury.
“Veteran linebacker Jon Bostic landed on injured reserve last year with a torn pectoral but is a solid chase-and-tackle ‘backer who has 121 games and 86 starts on his resume,” writes Knox. “He’s finished each of the last two years on injured reserve but tallied 118 tackles when last healthy in 2020.”
Despite serving mostly as a starter since the 2017 season — he also started 40 games for the Commanders over the past four seasons — Bostic has never been a highly-paid linebacker. The former second-round draft pick has never averaged more than $2.6 million per season on any of his contracts.
Although Bostic has never been a highly-paid veteran and has never garnered a Pro Bowl or All-Pro selection, he’s proven himself statistically with back-to-back 100-tackle seasons during the 2019 and 2020 campaigns.
Bostic most recently played under a $1.1 million price tag during the 2022 season. Considering his advanced age and the fact that he’s coming off of an injury for the second consecutive season, it’s safe to assume he’d sign for a similar deal for the 2023 season.
“Bostic isn’t likely to command a hefty price tag coming off the injury and this late in the offseason, and he’d provide experience at the second level behind Leighton Vander Esch, Micah Parsons and Damone Clark,” writes Knox.
Why Cowboys May Avoid Signing Jon Bostic
When delving into the advanced analytics, Bostic has mostly been an average linebacker. According to Pro Football Focus, Bostic posted a 48.2 defensive grade and 47.7 run defensive grade last season. By comparison, the Cowboys’ returning linebackers — Leighton Vander Esch, Micah Parsons, Damone Clark and Jabril Cox — all posted higher grades than Bostic last season.
Bostic’s career-best mark in a single season is a 63.4 defensive grade and 78.6 run defensive grade during the 2017 season as a member of the Indianapolis Colts.
Obviously, Bostic isn’t a perfect linebacker — which is a large reason why he remains a free agent deep into training camp. But it’s hard to find a veteran linebacker on the free agency market who has his degree of starting experience along with his past statistical output.
If the Cowboys are looking for some insurance at a cheap rate, Bostic might be worth looking at.