FRISCO, Texas — It's turned into a bit of a homecoming dance for the Dallas Cowboys, all set for a reunion with former All-Pro running back Ezekiel Elliott and, shortly thereafter, agreeing to terms with linebacker Damien Wilson.
A former fourth-round pick of the Cowboys in 2015, Wilson operated in linebacker tandem with players like Sean Lee and Anthony Hitchens for several seasons before departing in 2019 — signing a two-year deal in free agency with the Kansas City Chiefs.
He'd play out his deal in Kansas City and then head to the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he'd spend the 2021 season, staying in the South with a subsequent stint with the Carolina Panthers in 2022.
Released by the Panthers in March 2023, he's not far removed from having played in the NFL, and as a starter, having logged five starts in 17 games in 2022 and producing 38 combined tackles to go along with two sacks and a forced fumble.
The 30-year-old brings much-needed depth to a linebacker corps that lost Leighton Vander Esch to a season-ending injury and then opted to part ways with Rashaan Evans, one that featured only one true linebacker (physically speaking) on the active roster in Damone Clark at the conclusion of the season.
They've since added former All-Pro linebacker Eric Kendricks in free agency and several rookie linebackers, headlined by third-round pick Marist Liufau, and DeMarvion Overshown is on track to be ready for training camp as he rehabs from a torn ACL suffered last August.
Wilson's first stretch with the Cowboys yielded 22 starts in 64 active games for a combined 86 tackles, but his second stretch was short-lived as he signed just ahead of the playoffs but didn't see playing time in the loss against the Green Bay Packers in the first round.
He and the Cowboys are banking on his third stint being different, and given there's plenty of time this summer for him to acclimate to what defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer is expecting, there's at least a solid chance it could be.
