Cowboys and Texans Free Agency Moves

SAN ANGELO,TX- We’re a week into the NFL’s free agency and here is an update on the Texas Teams and what they’ve done so far.

(Technically not exactly a week because free agency actually started on the 17th but the NFL has a legal tampering period where teams can get a jump on signing players.)

Let’s start off with the Dallas Cowboys.

The past few days the Boys have been somewhat busy the first week of free agency. Doing what they’ve done the past few years which is fill holes with cheap contracts. They have stuck to more to re-signing their own talent instead of jumping into free agency.

They have signed Ty Nsekhe, Carlos Watkins, Brent Urban, Tarell Basham, C.J. Goodwin, Jourdan Lewis, Jake McQuaide, and Keanu Neal. They also signed Dak Prescott to keep the quarterback in Dallas.

Offensive tackle Ty Nsekhe played his college ball at Texas State and spent the last two seasons with the Buffalo Bills. Nsekhe has been primarily a backup and is potentially a swing tackle. Swing tackle has been somewhat of an issue the past few seasons for Dallas.

Last season, Dallas had two undrafted tackles (one was a rookie and the other had one year of NFL experience) play nearly all season after Tyron Smith and La’El Collins both went down with injuries.

Carlos Watkins, Brent Urban, and Tarell Basham are all defensive lineman. Watkins is probably a tackle at 6’3” - 297 lbs. and is a depth signing. Basham, 6’4” - 266 lbs, has been an outside linebacker for most of his career and will more than likely put his hand on the ground in Dan Quinn’s scheme.

Brent Urban might surprise the Cowboy’s fandom this upcoming season. At 6’7” - 305 lbs., Urban is a defensive tackle. According to PFF.com*, Urban graded out as the 3rd best interior defensive lineman in run defense with a 83.7 in 2020. The Cowboys were almost last in run defense last season.

At defensive back the Cowboys have re-signed Jourdan Lewis and C.J. Goodwin. Lewis is the Cowboy’s slot corner and Goodwin is a special team ace. The Cowboys were going to be thin at cornerback as former Cowboys and 2nd round pick Chidobe Awuzie signed with the Cincinnati Bengals.

On Saturday, the Cowboys agreed with former Atlanta Falcon safety Keanu Neal. Neal has played his entire career with new Cowboy defensive coordinator Dan Quinn who actually drafted Neal 17th overall in 2016. Neal comes in at 6’1”, 216 lbs.and has durability issues, is making the switch to weakside linebacker.

Last for the Dallas Cowboys is long snapper Jake McQuaide. He takes over the position after Dallas let go of L.P. Ladoucer who was as consistent as they come for his 16 year career.

Now let's take a trip down I-45 to Houston.

It has got to be rough being a Texan fan. I don’t watch minor league teams so bear with me.

The Texans hit the ground running by signing RB Mark Ingram, OL Justin Britt, WR/RS Andre Roberts, LBs Kamu Grugier-Hill and Christian Kirksey, and DB Vernon Hargreaves. They also successfully traded for OL Marcus Cannon and DL Shaq Lawson. 

Since those initial signing, the Texans have gone on to sign the most free agents this year in free agency.

Houston has signed and traded for two quarterbacks. Tyrod Taylor, who started last year with the Los Angeles Chargers was injured after a pain-killing injection punctured his lung early in the season. Rookie back-up Justin Herbert took over and never looked back. The Texans have also traded for Ryan Finley from the Bengals.

Looking for weapons after Bill O’Brien lost his mind and traded “Nuk” Hopkins to Arizona and letting Will Fuller walk in free agency, Houston has signed running back Philip Lindsay, wide receivers Alex Erickson and Donte Moncrief, and tight ends Pharaoh Brown and Ryan Izzo.

Lindsay was undrafted and signed as a rookie with the Denver Broncos and went on to have quite a bit of success. Denver has since signed former first round pick Melvin Gordon and Lindsay took a big step backwards in 2020.

Erickson was a PFF Second Team All-Pro in 2016. The former Wisconsin walk-on and undrafted receiver was a return man. Moncrief has had success in the NFL and is familiar with the AFC South drafted by the Colts and Jaguars.

Pharaoh Brown has 16 catches, 190 yards, and 2 touchdowns in his career. Ryan Izzo was acquired in a trade. 

New Texans along the front lines include OL Justin McCray, DE Derek Rivers, and Maliek Collins.

McCray went undrafted and has bounced around some even playing in the arena league.

Derek Rivers was drafted in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft by the Patriots. Maliek Collins was drafted by the Cowboys and has been productive though it may not show in the box score every game. 

Houston has added more linebacker help in Jordan Jenkins. He was drafted by the Jets and was a productive starter for them.

On the back end of the defense, the Texans have gotten help in the forms of CB Terrance Mitchell, CB Desmond King, CB Tavierre Thomas, and S Terrance Brooks.

Mitchell was drafted by the Cowboys and was most recently part of the Cleveland Browns secondary. King played college ball at Iowa and earned All-Pro accolades in 2018 for his play at defensive back and punt returner. Thomas also was a Brown last season. Safety Terrance Brooks was a Ravens draftee in 2014.

Lastly, the Houston Texans have signed punter Cam Johnston. Johnston is from the land down under and played college ball at Ohio State. He was picked up as a rookie by the Eagles.

*-PFF.com is a website that focuses on thorough analysis of the NFL.