Cowboys get their first win of free agency by bringing back safety Donovan Wilson

The Dallas Cowboys got their first big win of 2023 NFL free agency Tuesday morning when they struck an agreement on a deal with safety Donovan Wilson to return to the Dallas Cowboys. The deal is reportedly a three-year contract worth up to $24 million with the first two years fully guaranteed.

Wilson was a dynamic playmaker on the defense for the Dallas Cowboys in 2022, producing a team-high 101 tackles, five sacks, seven tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and an interception. Wilson has shown improvement every year for the Cowboys since he was drafted in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL draft.

This is a huge win for the Cowboys front office as it keeps their dynamic safety trio of Wilson, Malik Hooker, and Jayron Kearse together for at least one more season in Dallas. Hooker posted a tweet reacting to the news of the signing, showing his excitement to have the trio back together for the upcoming season.

Keeping Wilson in Dallas was considered unlikely by many around the situation throughout the NFL combine week. Clarence Hill reported on March 3rd that there was little optimism in re-signing Wilson due to his market after having such a prolific season with the team. Reporter Jordan Schultz also reported on March 5th that he believed that Wilson would have a new home in 2023 due to his market exceeding what the Cowboys were willing to spend at the safety position.

Some fans of the Cowboys believed that franchise-tagging Wilson was the best option for the Cowboys as they would be more likely to retain Pollard in the open market than retaining Wilson. Despite all of this speculation, the Cowboys front office was able to retain Wilson, an integral part of this Dan Quinn-led defense in Dallas.

Retaining Wilson greatly increases the Cowboys chances of being a dominant defense in the 2023 season, and allows the Cowboys to continue having great depth at the safety position. Now that Wilson is under contract, the team must focus their direction in bringing back linebacker Leighton Vander Esch. If the Cowboys are able to bring both of these players back, it would be quite the win for the front office.