FRISCO, Texas -- The NFL Draft is finally upon us. Before the first round gets underway on April 24, let's recap what the Cowboys have done so far this offseason.
Whether it was re-signing their own players, adding new ones in free agency or making a few trades, the Cowboys were rather active in reshaping the roster under first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer.
So let's take a closer look at what each positions currently looks like, moving on to the safety group today.
What Happened: All three safeties that were free agents, Markquese Bell, Juanyeh Thomas and Israel Mukuamu, inked new deals to remain with the Cowboys. Bell, a restricted free agent, signed a 3-year extension worth north of $12 million to return to Dallas where he's been one of the best special teams players the Cowboys have had in recent years.
Thomas has seen a bit more playing time on the defensive side of the ball but has contributed on special teams as well, including a kickoff return for a touchdown on an onside kick to grow Dallas' lead over the Washington Commanders in Week 12 for a 34-26 win. Thomas was one of three exclusive rights free agents that the Cowboys had, and had his rights retained for the 2025 season.
Mukuamu was the lone unrestricted free agent and resigned on a one-year deal. Although he is listed at safety has played a lot in the slot and at corner as well. That versatility will be a welcome sign for a Cowboys defensive backfield that is currently very thin, and Mukuamu's length at 6'4, 205 pounds is a strong building block to further his development as a true coverage player, where there's still a lot of room to grow.
The biggest thing about all three retentions? They're three of the Cowboys' biggest assets on special teams, a welcome sign for new special teams coordinator Nick Sorensen.
What's Up: With Bell, Thomas and Mukuamu all locked in for the 2025 season, the Cowboys bring back their entire safety room from 2024. Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson started all 17 games for Dallas in 2024 and project to do so again in 2025, with the three younger guys serving as solid backup options should there be a need for one to step up and play safety.
Hooker is quietly coming off one of the best seasons of his career in 2024, where he tallied a career high 81 tackles to go along with two interceptions. 2025 will mark his fifth year with the Cowboys and ninth NFL season, as he is still just 29 years old and is playing at a high level.
2025 will mark year seven for Wilson, who is known for his ability to lay the hit stick on a ball carrier but can at times be a liability in coverage. That said, he's one of the better tacklers in the defensive backfield but is looking to get back to the production similar to his 2022 season, where he put up 101 tackles and five sacks. If the Cowboys can get something similar out of Wilson going forward, they'll be in a good spot.
What's Next: With a heavy dosage of continuity and youth at the position, is safety a position that the Cowboys are going to address early in the draft? They haven't touched it in free agency and likely won't, leaving April's draft as the only likely possibility to add a player at the position.
It's unlikely that Dallas would draft a safety early in 2025 given the fact that they've retained both their starters and backups, leaving the door open for a potential addition at the position late on Day 3 or in the UDFA pool if the Cowboys have a player that they like on the board that much.
One option to keep an eye on is Clemson safety R.J. Mickens, a native of Southlake Carroll high school in the DFW area, who stood out at the East-West Shrine Bowl. He will likely be available at the point the Cowboys would consider taking a safety, if they take one at all, and was a solid five-year player for the Tigers coming off a season with career highs in tackles (76) and passes defended (7).
