FRISCO, Texas – As has been the case all week, roster moves continued to trickle out Thursday as the Cowboys pieced their way through the beginning of the league year.
Here's a breakdown of everything that happened on the second day of free agency, highlighted by a couple new additions to the Cowboys' roster.
The Cowboys continued to improved their defensive line depth throughout the day. Later on Thursday, the team added former Jets pass-rusher Tarell Basham to a two-year deal.
The contract is reportedly worth around $6 million.
Basham had a career-high 3.5 sacks last season, despite starting just nine games.
Basham, a third-round draft pick of the Colts in 2017, has just 12 career starts but 7.5 sacks.
The Cowboys agreed to terms with two veteran defensive linemen on Thursday, adding experienced bodies to a position that desperately needs them.
The first addition came in the form of four-year veteran Carlos Watkins, who signed on after playing his full rookie contract in Houston. The Texans drafted Watkins No. 142 overall in the 2017 NFL Draft out of Clemson, and he finished his time there with 74 tackles and four career sacks. Watkins mainly played 3-4 end in Houston's scheme, but it's a good bet he'll shift inside to defensive tackle in new defensive coordinator Dan Quinn's system in Dallas.
Mere hours later, the team also agreed to terms with another fourth-round pick in 2014 draftee Brent Urban. The soon-to-be 30-year-old defensive lineman played most of the last two years in Chicago, where he tallied 36 tackles and 2.5 sacks for the Bears. He was originally drafted No. 134 overall by Baltimore, where he spent the first five years of his career.
Urban has played in several spots along the line during his career, but he spent most of his time in Chicago at defensive tackle.
Combine these two moves with the decision to tender Antwaun Woods earlier this week, and the Cowboys have added three veterans to their defensive tackle rotation this week.
The Cowboys agreed to terms with veteran long snapper Jake McQuaide on Wednesday, which spells the end of L.P. Ladouceur's storied career in Dallas.
Ladouceur was easily the Cowboys' longest tenured player, having served 16 seasons and 253 games – two short of the franchise record, set by Jason Witten. The story linked above details the remarkable circumstances that led to Ladouceur being signed, and then sticking around for nearly two decades.
Jourdan Lewis agreed to terms on a new deal Wednesday night, and on Thursday he was at The Star to sign his new deal.
The contract runs through the 2023 season and comes with $8 million in guarantees. Lewis, a third-round pick in 2017, joins Anthony Brown and Trevon Diggs as returning starters from last year's cornerback group.
