One of the things that former Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator turned Washington Commanders HC Dan Quinn did in Dallas was rejuvenate the safety position.
The Cowboys notoriously ignored the safety position for many years. I mean think about it. How many high draft picks or high free agent money did the Cowboys spend at the position after Roy Williams?
Roy Williams was an All-American safety for the Oklahoma Sooners before the Cowboys drafted him with the #8 overall pick in the 2002 NFL Draft.
Cowboys fans dream of the days when Darren Woodson (how is he not in the Hall of Fame??????) and Roy Williams were on the field together imposing their will on opposing offenses.
Times have definitely changed since then. They don't make safeties like Woodson anymore. His mix of talent and football intelligence are matched by few in NFL history.
Roy Williams was also ahead of his time. If he played in today's NFL, he'd likely be a hybrid linebacker/safety in the mold of Jamal Adams, for example.
There have been some notable additions at the position since then, but the Cowboys haven't typically acquired players at the position using high draft picks or through the initial wave of free agency.
Notable Acquisitions
The only player at safety since the Woodson/Williams days to receive a lucrative contract is Ken Hamlin. He was signed to a 1 year/$2 million deal before the 13-3 season where he recorded a career-high five interceptions.
Dallas signed him to a 6yr/$37.5 million deal that was supposed to keep him in Dallas until the 2013 season. Unfortunately, Hamlin only lasted two more seasons before injuries and poor play forced the Cowboys to release him.
Much like the Morris Claiborne experiment, that deal is likely what turned off the Cowboys from investing so much money in that position since then.
Dallas spent a 3rd round pick (80th overall) on J.J. Wilcox in the 2013 NFL Draft. Wilcox made some splash plays and recorded five interceptions but didn't earn a second contract.
After Wilcox, Dallas did not spend a pick higher than the 6th round on a safety, the latest being current starter Donovan Wilson.
Speaking of Wilson, his starting spot is not guaranteed in new DC Mike Zimmer's defense. Along with Wilson, let's discuss the other options the Cowboys have as a starting safety in 2024.
Donovan Wilson
Let's stick with the player on topic. Wilson is the incumbent starter at strong safety but did not flourish until the arrival of Dan Quinn before the 2021 season.
Wilson recently signed a 3yr/$21 million deal just before the 2023 season to keep him in Dallas until the end of the 2025 season. It's the richest contract (annual average) handed out to a safety by the Cowboys since Ken Hamlin in 2008.
Common sense will tell you to follow the money to determine who the starter will be but not so fast. Zimmer likes smart safeties who aren't liable in coverage.
If Wilson has any weaknesses, they are in coverage. According to Pro Football Focus, he finished ranked 53rd out of qualified safeties in 2023 with a 66.6 coverage grade.
His strength is crashing down to the line of scrimmage in run support, and he tends to get caught looking in the backfield too often. If he doesn't clean that up, one of the younger safeties will be right on his heels.
Markquese Bell
Even though Quinn put an emphasis on the safety position, the Cowboys still haven't invested significant capital at the position. Markquese Bell was signed as an undrafted free agent before the 2022 season.
Bell played sparingly his rookie year, only appearing in five games and recording one tackle on special teams. It took a position change for Bell to crack the lineup.
Playing mostly as an undersized linebacker in Quinn's scheme, Bell put himself on the map as a player who needed to see more playing time.
There is a 99% chance that Bell will return to the safety room full-time to compete for more snaps. Could he end up as the starter?
Despite his smaller stature, Bell finished as the 18th-ranked linebacker in 2023 according to Pro Football Focus.
In coverage, he ranked 5th with a grade of 83.5. That number can be skewed because as a linebacker, primary coverage was tight ends and running backs.
Either way, that grade can't be ignored. Bell has just as much of a chance to earn the starting job as Wilson.
Juanyeh Thomas
The third challenger in the Dallas Cowboys starting strong safety competition is Juanyeh Thomas, another undrafted player.
Thomas went undrafted in the 2022 NFL Draft from Georgia Tech University and was signed by the Cowboys shortly thereafter.
He did not make the team in his rookie season, instead manning the practice squad and learning the game from veterans Jayron Kearse and Donovan Wilson.
His one year on the practice squad did wonders for his game and he came out blazing during the 2023 offseason, eventually earning a spot on the roster.
Thomas was still mostly a special teams demon in 2023, playing only 19% of the defensive snaps. The sample was so small, he didn't qualify to be graded by Pro Football Focus.
He allowed 10 completions on 16 attempts in coverage, giving up 10.7 yards per completion and a touchdown.
That's not much to convince anyone he should be in line to be the next starter at strong safety, but one play sticks out to validate that claim.
It didn't happen in the regular season, but Thomas played with the first-team defense in the preseason game versus the Jacksonville Jaguars. He perfectly read a flag route by the Jaguars' wide receiver and stepped in front to intercept Trevor Lawrence's pass.
If he can continue to make plays like that in coverage coupled with his ability to tackle in space, Zimmer will have no choice but to name him the starter in 2024.
