FRISCO, Texas – The Cowboys have agreed to terms on another extension with one of their own defensive players, as safety Israel Mukuamu and the organization came to a one-year deal.
Mukuamu, 25, was a Cowboys' sixth round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft out of South Carolina. He's spent all four of his NFL seasons in Dallas and will now return for his fifth.
Though Mukuamu was always listed as a safety by the Cowboys, the versatile defensive back made his way to the NFL as mostly a cornerback at South Carolina before being shoehorned into the safety room for depth reasons.
With the emergence of Markquese Bell and Juanyeh Thomas behind contract-extended talent, i.e., Donovan Wilson and Malik Hooker, Mukuamu has found his way onto the field as a cornerback for Dallas and been more than serviceable in doing so.
A fiery, capable backup, viewed as a flier by many as defined by his pick status, Mukuamu stepped into a larger role in the 2024 season, posting career highs in tackles (19) and interceptions (2) over the course of 17 games. Mukuamu has also been a staple on special teams, playing 341 snaps on the unit last season.
The Cowboys have retained a majority of their core special teams players in C.J. Goodwin, Trent Sieg, Bryan Anger, KaVontae Turpin, Markquese Bell and now Mukuamu. They'll all be coached by new special teams coordinator Nick Sorensen, who replaced John "Bones" Fassel in late January.
As far as the defensive backfield goes, the lack of bodies the Cowboys currently have at corner could mean that Mukuamu is asked to do more at the cornerback position, which he did in bits and pieces during the 2024 season.
Dallas has made some moves to address the cornerback position, like trading for former Bills cornerback Kaiir Elam, but still could need more help through free agency and/or the draft. If need be, Mukuamu has the skillset necessary to step in anywhere in the secondary if his number is called upon.
