While it might not represent a big splash in terms of NFL contracts, when the Dallas Cowboys signed Arizona Cardinals safety Jalen Thompson to a 3-year, $33 million free-agent deal on March 9, it represented something of a sea change for the franchise.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s because the Cowboys just don\u2019t spend money like that in free agency.<\/p>\n
Before the 2026 free agency cycle started, Bleacher Report\u2019s Adam Wells pointed out a pretty incredible statistic about the Cowboys and how they spend money in the offseason.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne primary issue with looking at free agency is (Cowboys owner) Jerry Jones has been reluctant to really dive into that pool,\u201d Wells wrote in January. \u201cHe hasn\u2019t signed an external free agent to a contract worth more than $6 million since Gerald McCoy\u2019s three-year, $18 million deal in March 2020. If the Cowboys are going to significantly address their defense, it will likely come through either the draft or a potential trade.\u201d<\/p>\n
Not so fast, my friends. The Cowboys flipped the script with Thompson and are earning some high praise in return, with Pro Football Focus singling out the deal as one of their favorite NFL free-agent signings.<\/p>\n
\u201cThompson was among the most consistent and most underrated safeties in the NFL while playing alongside Budda Baker in Arizona,\u201d PFF\u2019s Zoltan Buday wrote. \u201cThe Washington State product has earned a PFF overall grade between 68.0 and 72.0 in five of his past six seasons. His 69.2 PFF coverage grade this past season ranked 26th among 93 safeties. Plus, he will be only 28 years old when the 2026 campaign kicks off.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thompson, 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, was the only player selected in the 2019 NFL supplemental draft, with the Cardinals giving up a 5th-round pick for his rights after he earned All-Pac-12 honors in 2017 but wasn\u2019t allowed to play in 2018 after he tested positive for a banned over-the-counter supplement.<\/p>\n
For the Cardinals, it turned out to be a pretty stout investment. Thompson started 13 games over his first two seasons and became a full-time starter for Arizona in 2021 \u2014 a job he never gave up.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s also cashed in with some pretty significant paychecks, racking up approximately $44.2 million in career earnings through the end of the 2025 season.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Cowboys made their first splash free-agent agreement since adding cornerback Brandon Carr on a five-year, $50 million deal in 2012,\u201d ESPN\u2019s Todd Archer wrote after Thompson signed with Dallas. \u201cThompson fills a major need in the secondary for the Cowboys. He has been a full-time starter the past five seasons with Arizona and has nine career interceptions. He can fill multiple roles for new coordinator Christian Parker and has familiarity on the coaching staff with new corners coach Ryan Smith.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thompson could prove to be invaluable in helping mentor a pair of first-round picks for the Cowboys, who own the No. 12 and No. 20 spots in the 2026 NFL Draft.<\/p>\n
The general consensus is that if the Cowboys don\u2019t trade one of those picks, they\u2019ll both be used on defensive players.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Cowboys need a communicator in the secondary, and Thompson can make sure everybody is on the same page,\u201d Archer wrote. \u201cHe is young \u2014 turning 28 in July \u2014 but has the experience to help a secondary grow.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
While it might not represent a big splash in terms of NFL contracts, when the Dallas Cowboys signed Arizona Cardinals safety Jalen Thompson to a 3-year, $33… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":173689,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-173686","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"\n