The Dallas Cowboys have a lot of questions to answer going into the 2022 season. After a letdown in the wild-card round against the San Francisco 49ers, Dallas blew an opportunity to make a serious run at the organization’s sixth Lombardi trophy and their roster will be completely different going forward than currently constructed.
Dallas has 24 free agents that they have to make decisions on. There’s always a pecking order in terms of importance to these types of situations, and these three players, in particular, sit atop the priority list for the Cowboys.
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Gregory had a few setbacks in 2021. He missed the Cowboys’ Week 2 win over the Los Angeles Chargers due to COVID and missed another four games with a calf strain. However, Gregory tied a career-high with six sacks and set career highs in forced fumbles (3) and quarterback hits (17).
The best stretch for Gregory came from Week 4 through Week 6 when he amassed four sacks and eight quarterback hits. It marked the first time in his career that he had multiple games with multiple sacks.
With DeMarcus Lawrence holding down the left side at defensive end and forcing double teams, Gregory can use his speed off the line of scrimmage and natural bend around the edge to defeat one-on-one matchups on the right side. Also, his pursuit down the line against the run is an underrated part of his game.
Gregory recently had surgery on his knee but is fully expected to be ready for the offseason program. He’ll have his fair of suitors with pass rushers being so important in today’s NFL which is predictable towards the pass. The Cowboys should do whatever it takes to keep him on the roster especially with defensive coordinator Dan Quinn returning who turned the Cowboys’ defense around in 2021 from the disaster it was the season before.
(AP Photo/Matt Patterson)
Kearse was an unexpected blessing for the Cowboys this season. Once looked at as a depth piece and special teams contributor, Kearse brought stability to the safety position which has been a bugaboo for years in Dallas.
The former seventh-round pick set career highs in tackles (team-leading 101), interceptions (2), and passes defended (10). Kearse also registered 11 pressures (one sack) and only missed three tackles in 2021.
Not only did Kearse show that he can cover tight ends in the middle of the field this season but he also played linebacker in some sub-packages which speaks to his incredible versatility. That led to the Cowboys showing the ultimate trust in Kearse when they gave him the green dot to make the defensive calls during their Week 8 win against the Minnesota Vikings.
Bringing back Kearse gives the Cowboys’ defense a veteran presence at safety to go along with Donovan Wilson who still hasn’t reached his ceiling yet. It also sets a solid foundation at the position in 2022 and the Cowboys could add to it by bringing back Malik Hooker or selecting another safety in the NFL draft.
(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Gallup couldn’t catch a break in 2021. He suffered a calf strain in the season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers which forced him to miss eight games, and then went down with a torn ACL in Week 17 against the Arizona Cardinals.
These were unfortunate setbacks for Gallup, but at the same time, it made the prospect of him returning to the Cowboys more of a reality. Gallup’s rehab will likely extend deep into the offseason which may cause teams to pause on signing him to a lucrative deal.
Despite his injury, the Cowboys should make a strong push to bring Gallup back. Amari Cooper is under contract for three more seasons and CeeDee Lamb has at least two more years before the Cowboys will have to think about his second contract. Bringing Gallup back, possibly on a one-year prove-it deal with his injury, keeps a formidable receiving trio together in Dallas.
Gallup is the Cowboys’ biggest threat to stretch the field deep in the passing game. This allows Cooper to get more one-on-one coverage and also lets Lamb feast in the slot. However, Cedrick Wilson played well in Gallup’s absence as a true slot receiver, and the Cowboys’ offense looked its best this season when he played.
This makes not bringing Gallup back easier to deal with if the Cowboys want to keep Wilson, who is also a free agent, especially since he’ll be a cheaper option. However, attempting to re-sign Gallup should be the first choice.
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