This year's first wave of 2022 NFL free agency isn't without controversy, thanks in large part to the Dallas Cowboys. The team recently awarded All-Pro pass rusher DeMarcus Lawrence a new three-year deal that free up millions in cap space, with the goal of using some of it to re-sign defensive end Randy Gregory. That worked out swimmingly, until the deal drowned, with Gregory pivoting to the Denver Broncos when the Cowboys attempted to insert contract language after an agreement was struck. But in keeping with their offseason ties to the Broncos, the Cowboys are now eyeing one of Denver's legends -- namely Von Miller.
Miller, a two-time Super Bowl winning linebacker who is a premier name in free agency, is sorting through his options as multiple teams -- not including the Cowboys, prior to Tuesday's events -- attempt to add him to their roster. With the exodus of Gregory, however, the Cowboys are instantly in dire need of a complement to Lawrence, and they've now reached out to Miller's camp and found he has mutual interest, sources confirming a report from Jane Slater of NFL Network.
It certainly doesn't hurt that Miller is a native of DeSoto, Texas, a suburb of Dallas, and made a name for himself in the collegiate ranks at Texas A&M. In other words, Dallas is literally home for him, and the Cowboys would like to make him homecoming king in an effort to mop up their mistake with Gregory.
Additionally, rookie phenom and All-Pro linebacker Micah Parsons has taken to recruiting Miller on social media.
Rumors of Miller's demise heading into the 2021 season were greatly exaggerated, to say the least. The future Hall of Fame linebacker was unexpectedly traded by the Broncos to the Los Angeles Rams at the 2021 trade deadline, and all he did was go on a tear that helped the Rams lift the Lombardi trophy in February. There are other options for the Cowboys as well, e.g., Chandler Jones and Za'Darius Smith, especially considering the five-year, $70 million deal ($28 million guaranteed) that was set aside for Gregory is available to spend elsewhere.
Miller is a seven-time All-Pro and eight-time Pro Bowler, so the Cowboys could do much worse than adding the 32-year-old to a roster that now desperately needs him (or any other elite pass rusher to play opposite Lawrence), and one that has been rejuvenated by defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. Miller currently has 115.5 career sacks and 540 combined tackles, with 9.5 of his sacks having come last season over a span of two teams and 15 games.
He's still got the juice, and the Cowboys now have some money burning a hole in their pocket.
Cowboys free agency 2022: Von Miller, Dallas have mutual interest following collapse of Randy Gregory deal - CBS Sports
Read More
No comments:
Post a Comment