Cowboys Set Their Sights on Giants and Packers Free Agents

Thanks to rumors that were posted on “X,” formerly known as Twitter, from Packer Report’s Easton Butler on Wednesday, it appears that the Cowboys are interested in players from the Football Association, 29-year-old Bobby Okereke and 24-year-old Quay Walker. The pair of LBs, from the New York Giants and Green Bay Packers, respectively, are two free agents who could help address both the general defensive needs of the Cowboys as well as replace the recently released Logan Wilson. Considering the aggressive focus the team stated they will have on free agents, the pair certainly seems to be what they could be looking for.

Okereke was let go from the Giants on Wednesday after he played two seasons with the team due to his insufficient performance in run defense. As a result, it seems he would be a bit cheaper than many other free agent picks, which may help with the team’s salary cap needs. He has had better seasons before this one, so his playing performance could be just a one-off issue. That said, his recent concerns with that defense and the team's focus on stopping the run somewhat go against that. While he certainly could do better, if Jerry Jones really wants to have people who can hit the ground running, relying on someone to prove themselves rather than immediately being ready to go raises eyebrows and questions about how that fits with their plans going forward.

Walker, on the other hand, is much closer to what the Cowboys are looking for, having his best performance last year. With his blitzing skills, the schemes of stopping the run would pair far better for him than for Okereke. There’s also the fact that he still hasn’t fully perfected his run defense, and if the team’s goal is to stop the run, he would need to be exceptional in this area. Anything less than stellar would mean the team is compromising on its top priority. Ultimately, it is a balance between costs and proficiency. A lower price tag could push the team toward New York's former defensive leader, with the hope that his inconsistent play was simply a short-term stumble and not a preview of future performance.