OXNARD, Calif. — The Cowboys and safety Malik Hooker have finalized a three-year extension worth $24 million that runs through the 2026-27 season. The extension, officially signed Saturday morning, includes an $8 million signing bonus and $16.5 million guaranteed over the next three seasons.
Hooker, 27, is entering his third season with the Cowboys and his seventh NFL season and is now locked up as an integral part of the Dallas defense for the immediate future. The contract prevents Hooker from becoming a free agent in March.
In 31 games in two seasons for the Cowboys, Hooker has accounted for four interceptions, five pass breakups and 106 total tackles from the defensive backfield. Along with Donovan Wilson and Jayron Kearse, Hooker has helped provide an established safety net to the backend of the defense since his arrival from Indianapolis in 2021.
Despite starting just nine games in his two seasons in Dallas, Hooker has been arguably the most important rotational piece to Dan Quinn's defense since coming in due to his reliability in single-high safety coverage and his high tackling grades both in the defensive backfield and coming downhill.
A former first-round pick for Indianapolis in the 2017 draft, Hooker played his first four seasons for the Colts before having his fifth-year option declined by the franchise, making him a free agent in 2021. Dallas then signed Hooker to a one-year deal before extending that deal out after his one season through 2023.
Hooker's deal makes him the 18th-highest paid safety in the league and the highest-paid safety for the Cowboys. Donovan Wilson is fresh off signing a three-year, $21 million extension in March.
Through a week-and-a-half of training camp, Hooker has seen increased opportunity with Donovan Wilson being sidelined with a calf injury and has excelled in Oxnard. His reliability in the defensive backfield has been paired with confidence in his increased single-high looks that we'll be watching to see carry into the preseason and regular season.
