Ex-Cowboys OT Rejects Retirement, Announces Free Agency Availability

Getty Former Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Jason Peters walks off the field after an NFL game.

The Dallas Cowboys needed help bolstering their offensive line in 2022, and now the man they called in has announced his availability in free agency. Jason Peters has had a storied career before arriving in Dallas, and it appears he wants to continue it after his time with the Cowboys.

ESPN insider Adam Schefter reported Peters’ plans for the 2023 season, despite the offensive tackle set to turn 42 before the end of the NFL league year.

“Nine-time Pro Bowl OT Jason Peters, who is a free agent, said today he still plans to play this season in what would be his 20th NFL season,” Schefter wrote on X on August 18. “Peters started his NFL career as an undrafted free agent in 2004 in Buffalo.”

Peters is best known for his 11-season stint with the Philadelphia Eagles in which he consistently frustrated fans of the Cowboys and other NFC East teams. The former Arkansas Razorback turned heads by joining Dallas last season, but the Cowboys were desperate for help on the exterior of the offensive line and looked to Peters for help.

Peters’ Longevity Leads Him to Dallas

Playing 10+ seasons is typically something NFL players dream of doing, but very few have the ability and longevity to make that happen. Peters already accomplished that feat in 2013 and now a decade later he wants to double that accomplishment.

What makes Peters’ career even more impressive was the fact that he wasn’t drafted in the 2004 draft cycle. Just making the Buffalo Bills roster as a UDFA is difficult, but Peters did so and parlayed his rookie appearances into securing a starting job.

After just five appearances in 2004, Peters went on to start 54 games over his next four seasons with Buffalo. Pro Football Reference shows that his final two seasons with the Bills saw him earn Pro Bowl honors and second-team All-Pro selections.

The 2007 and 2008 Pro Bowl nods began a remarkable stretch for Peters, who joined the Eagles entering the 2009 campaign but did not stop collecting plaudits. The 41-year-old racked up nine consecutive Pro Bowl honors in seasons he was active from 2007-2016 (Peters missed the 2012 campaign due to a ruptured Achilles.)

That was capped off by a Super Bowl victory with Philadelphia in 2017, and Peters’ role with the Eagles slowly reduced from there. The player and team parted ways after the 2020 season, leading Peters to a single season with the Chicago Bears and then the Cowboys, where he made 10 appearances and one start.

Cowboys Urged to Add Veteran O-Line Help

Something interesting about Peters’ announcement was that it comes not long after Dallas was urged by SI.com’s Mike Fisher to add a veteran offensive lineman. Peters was not mentioned in the article as Heavy previous covered, but he could be a familiar option.

One name that was suggested was Andrew Norwell, who played against the Cowboys as a member of the Washington Commanders in 2022. Norwell was released this offseason, and has yet to sign with a new team.

If the Cowboys do want to shore up the line, Norwell has the pedigree of a 2017 All-Pro selection and his stock is relatively low. Both of those factors could make for a tactically sound, financially reasonable deal.