The Cowboys should consider getting creative with the veteran trade market.
The Dallas Cowboys will be under a new direction defensively in 2025 and beyond with Matt Eberflus taking over for Mike Zimmer. There are multiple areas that need to be upgraded for the Cowboys defense to get back to be a respectable unit. One them is linebacker, especially with DeMarvion Overshown suffering a torn ACL and veteran Eric Kendricks headed for free agency.
On Wednesday, an interesting development came about. Linebacker Harold Landry, who has played for the Tennessee Titans since 2018 after being drafted in the second round, was granted permission to seek a trade. Per executive vice president Stephen Jones, the Cowboys will be “selectively aggressive” in terms of their approach in free agency. Well, this would be one of the times where Dallas should do just that.
Landry would have a solid rookie campaign with 4.5 sacks. His first breakout performance came a season later when he upped his sack total to nine. In 2021, Landry earned his only Pro Bowl nod as he recorded 12. Before the 2022 season, Landry suffered a torn ACL. However, his last two years have been productive as well. After he put up 10.5 sacks in 2023, Landry produced nine more this past season.
When breaking it down, Landry doesn’t win as a pass rusher as much as you would like as he posted a pass-rush grade of 49.6 in 2024. Actually, throughout his career, it hasn’t been that great, but it makes the fact that he has 280 pressures and 175 hurries for career pretty impressive. Landry can provide some help against the run also as he’s coming off a season with a career-high 82.2 run defense grade.
Of course, especially when it comes to the Cowboys, contracts are a big factor. Landry has two years left on his five-year, $87.5 million extension that he signed in 2022. He has a base salary of $17.5 million and a cap hit of $24.05 million in each of the next two seasons.
With all that being said, Landry is only 28 years old (29 in June) and still has plenty of football left in the tank. The only linebacker the Cowboys know that they can rely on going into 2025 is Marist Liufau. Getting a guy like Landry adds depth to the position and a starter for next season, plus it doesn’t hinder the Cowboys from taking another one in the NFL draft. With his pass rush ability, although it could be more consistent, the Cowboys would have more ammunition against the pass along with All-Pro Micah Parsons.
