GLENDALE, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 05: Jalen Thompson #34 of the Arizona Cardinals runs onto the field before the NFL game at State Farm Stadium on October 05, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona. The Titans defeated the Cardinals 22-21. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
It may be too soon to give Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones some credit, but certainly, with where we are in the NFL offseason, he seems to be following through on his vow to turn over a new leaf. It’s been 30 years since the Cowboys’ last Super Bowl, and it would have been nice if Jones had made this determination to change a bit sooner. File it under “better late than never,” though.
The team just hired Christian Parker, a 34-year-old first-time coordinator, to the run the defense, and actually paid a running back, giving Javonte Williams a three-year, $24 million contract. They are apparently moving toward a deal for Brandon Aubrey, too, and placed the $28 million franchise tag on George Pickens.
Jones has vowed to spend more money than ever in free agency, and that’s the question we’re waiting to see answered–will he, really? Early indications are good, but the Cowboys’ spending plans could easily fizzle if they’re not aggressive early in often in the process.
Cowboys Linked to Safety Jalen Thompson
The Cowboys’ position on pulling in free agents from other teams has been very clear in recent years: It’s a bad investment. And there’s some truth in that. Signing free agents, especially in the initial wave of transactions that comes once the league year opens, almost always requires an overpay.
But the Cowboys need to fix their defense, and they’re not just one or two players away from getting there. They need to overhaul the linebackers, as well as the defensive backs. Both units were among the worst in the NFL last year. Safety is a certain need, and after the combine, any hope the Cowboys had of Ohio State star Caleb Downs falling to them at No. 12 has evaporated.
Dallas is expected to let Donovan Wilson go, and could do the same with Malik Hooker.
The Cowboys will need to sign a safety and, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, there is one in mind: Jalen Thompson, the reliable Cardinals starter who has been in Arizona for seven seasons.
Fowler ticked off the list of Cowboys needs–pass-rusher, linebacker, nickel corner–but added, “They aren’t guaranteed to spend big, but I believe they will get a pass rusher at some point.They will also comb the free agent safety class (Arizona’s Jalen Thompson makes sense).”
$19 Million Contract Projected
Indeed, Thompson does make sense, and he could be a good value in a market that could get overinflated. That’s one bit of good news for the Cowboys as they attempt to add players–two of the positions they seek to fill (safety and linebacker) are have relatively inexpensive markets. Thompson could be an example of that: He is coming off a three-year, $36 million contract in Arizona but is projected to get $9.5 million per year by Spotrac, on a two-year, $19 million deal.
Thompson is viewed as a solid veteran, No. 65 overall in the Pro Football Focus free-agent rankings and the No. 5 safety on the market.
Writes PFF: “A five-year starter in the Cardinals’ secondary, Thompson has established himself as one of the more reliable tacklers at the safety position. His missed tackle rate of 6.3% ranks fifth among safeties with 100 or more tackles over the past two seasons. He also took a step forward in coverage in 2025, allowing a passer rating of 98.4 when targeted while breaking up five passes. The 27-year-old has never finished a season below a 64.0 overall PFF grade and could strengthen a wide range of secondaries.”