Should the Cowboys bring the veteran linebacker back after a solid 2024 campaign?
The Dallas Cowboys have a long list of unrestricted free agents who will officially hit the open market in a little over two months. Of those, six or seven were significant contributors in 2024, meaning the Cowboys have some difficult decisions ahead of them in the next two months.
Today, we are taking a look at a player coming off a solid season in his first year as a Cowboy, linebacker Eric Kendricks.
Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images
2024 Regular Season Stats: 15G, 88 tackles, 48 Defensive Stops, 17 Missed Tackles, 3 Sacks, 3 FFM, 2 Interceptions
Year Review: Last offseason, the Dallas Cowboys made one significant move in free agency. That move was signing veteran linebacker Erick Kendricks to a one-year, $3M deal. Kendricks, who was entering his 10th season in the league, wanted to reunite with his old head coach, Mike Zimmer and filled a hole at a linebacker spot that was one of Dallas’ most significant problem areas in 2023.
At age 32, the Cowboys weren’t expecting Kendricks to be the guy who was named a First-Team All-Pro back in 2019, but they did need him to bring veteran leadership and consistent performance to their linebacker room. Throughout the course of the 2024 season, Kendricks did just that, putting together a very solid year.
The veteran linebacker finished the season with 88 tackles and 48 defensive stops, both by far the most on the Cowboys’ defense. Kendricks’s 78.3 run defense grade, via Pro Football Focus, also led the team and was his fourth-best grade in this category during his 10-year NFL career.
One thing Kendricks did accomplish in 2024 that he had not done in recent years was being able to take the football away from opposing offenses. His three forced fumbles were the most of his career, and his two interceptions were the same number he had totaled in the past three seasons.
Overall, the Kendricks signing was a great deal for both sides, as the veteran was one of Dallas’ most productive free-agent acquisitions in recent history.
Free Agency Outlook: The one-year, $3M deal Kendricks signed in free agency last March was a chance to bet on himself and potentially earn one more multi-year contract if he was able to show he could still perform at a decently high level. The veteran did just that during his time in Dallas, showing he has some juice left in the tank and can still be a productive player at his advanced age.
Veterans Lavonte David and Bobby Wagner, two players who are still contributing at a high level at age 34, headline the 2025 linebacker free-agent group. Still, outside of that duo, there aren’t many other players capable of being above-average contributors to a defense. This should work in Kendricks’s favor and may even allow him to secure a multi-year deal from a team desperate to upgrade their linebacker spot.
Even if Kendricks ends up signing another one-year deal, his on-field performance this season should likely allow him to surpass his $3M AAV from his contract with Dallas.
Cowboys Verdict: A potential return to Dallas does not seem out of the question for the linebacker. After DeMarvion Overshown went down with another serious knee injury late in the season, Dallas’ depth at the linebacker spot for 2025 looks spotty at best.
2024 third-round pick Marist Liufau figures to play a significant role in Dallas’ linebacker rotation in 2025, but they’ll need at least one veteran to pair with the second-year pro. Like he did last season, Kendricks would fit into this role nicely, and bringing him back would allow Dallas to spend significant draft resources on other position groups.
Kendricks coming back to Dallas may hinge on one thing: Mike Zimmer’s future. If the 68-year-old defensive coordinator comes back to coach another season, Kendricks’ chances to return will likely skyrocket. As things stand today, Zimmer is still undecided if he will retire or return to coaching for one more year. If he does make the decision to return, it seems like almost a guarantee he’ll be back as the DC for the Cowboys.
Zimmer and Kendricks go hand in hand, and the latter will most likely follow if the former comes back. If Zimmer does hang it up, Kendricks could still be an option for the Cowboys, but a new defensive coordinator would likely look to get younger at the linebacker spot and may have a veteran of their own liking they would prefer to bring in.
Prediction: Mike Zimmer returns as DC, and Eric Kendricks signs a one-year, $5M deal with the Dallas Cowboys