Thanks to expiring contracts and their big change at defensive coordinator, the Dallas Cowboys have plenty of work to do on defense this offseason. But one position that may not need much attention is safety, with both starting jobs and backup spots seemingly covered by talent already under contract for 2024.
This may sound surprising given that Jayron Kearse is one of Dallas’ bigger names approaching free agency in March. But with Dan Quinn’s exit and Mike Zimmer’s arrival, the way that Kearse and other safeties were deployed the last few years is probably going away. That should reduce the total snaps from safeties going forward, and knock the veteran out of his job completely.
For example, some looks had all three of Kearse, Malik Hooker, and Donovan Wilson on the field with Kearse playing a hybrid linebacker role in coverage. Quinn’s comfort with playing a bigger safety this way, which also led to Markquese Bell’s conversion to linebacker in 2023, isn’t likely to apply under Zimmer. He wants more traditional physical prototypes at the positions, so we should see less of Quinn’s “small ball” approach.
This means that Bell (who we listed among linebackers in this series due to last year) is probably heading back to safety next season. With Hooker and Wilson already signed up as returning starters, that makes Bell and Juanyeh Thomas capable backups with intriguing future potential. If Zimmer is going to reduce the group’s workload overall, those may be the only four safeties Dallas needs in 2024.
Even if Dallas does keep a fifth safety, re-signing Kearse doesn’t seem like the move. He just turned 30 and has already started showing some decline on the field. His role on the team feels sufficiently covered by Bell, who could serve in the hybrid position or simply be a more traditional strong safety.
While he was surprisingly quiet last year, Israel Mukuamu is also still around as a versatile defensive back to play corner or safety. That seems a much more likely way that the Cowboys would carry a fifth guy; one who can double as a CB or at least give you strong value on special teams. Kearse does neither.
While neither Hooker or Wilson are NFL superstars, they allow Dallas to focus on needier positions without being liabilities. Their combined cap hit of just over $11 million is a steal, but we’ll have to wait and see how well they adapt to Zimmer’s scheme. Thankfully, even if it’s not as good for them as Quinn’s, they’re relatively inexpensive enough that it will be hard for them to lose value.
Sure, we’d all love to see a safety like Derwin James or Budda Baker in Dallas. But with bigger fish to fry at other positions, the Cowboys can feel comfortable about their current group going forward. They have solid starters and capable backups, enough that they can let Jayron Kearse walk in free agency without it feeling like much of a loss.
Former American tennis professionals John McEnroe, Andy Roddick, John Isner, and Sam Querrey will play in the 2026 Dallas Open All-American Classic, the tournament announced Monday.
The exhibition event will take place at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco on Sunday, Feb. 7, 2026 ahead of the tournament’s main draw beginning on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026.
“We’re thrilled to bring together four beloved American tennis stars for what promises to be an unforgettable evening of entertainment,” said Dallas Open tournament director Peter Lebedevs in a news release.
McEnroe, 66, is a former world No. 1 in both doubles and singles and the only men’s player to ever hold both simultaneously. He has won multiple major titles in both with 7 singles majors, 9 doubles majors and one mixed doubles major.
Roddick, 43, is a former world No. 1 who won his only career major at the 2003 U.S. Open. He played in four other major finals (one at the U.S. Open and three at Wimbledon) losing them all to his rival Roger Federer.
“The Dallas Open has quickly become one of the premier events on the ATP Calendar,” Roddick said. ”I’m honored to play alongside these guys and be part of the night. We all know how to compete and have fun on the court, which is what this night is all about.”
Isner, 40, is a Dallas resident and former top-10 singles player with 16 career ATP titles. He was known for his powerful serve, which averaged about 140 mph, but which went over 155 mph on occasion. He’s also played in the longest tennis match of all time, winning over five sets and 183 games against Nicolas Mahut that took 11 hours and five minutes across three days at Wimbledon in 2010.
Querrey, 38, peaked at No. 11 in the men’s singles rankings, winning 10 career titles and having a career-best majors finish at the semifinals of Wimbledon in 2017.
Tennis fans will also recognize the quartet from their contributions in the media after retirement. McEnroe is a prominent tennis commentator for ESPN at major tournaments. Roddick hosts the “Served” podcast while Isner and Querrey are part of the “Nothing Major Show.”
Tickets for the exhibition are available with prices around $100.
The ATP-500 level Dallas Open tournament is set to feature top-ranked Americans Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton as well as top-level Europeans in Casper Ruud and Grigor Dimitrov. It will take place from Feb. 7 to Feb. 15, 2026 in Frisco.
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The Dallas Wings once again have the first overall pick after winning the 2026 Draft Lottery on Sunday evening. The 2026 WNBA Draft isn’t scheduled until Monday, April 13th, so there is a lot of time for the Wings to evaluate the draft class, but also explore other options for the pick.
Could the Dallas Wings explore trading the first overall pick? It’s certainly not out of the question, and Wings GM Curt Miller is at least open to the idea.
Drake Keeler of IX Sports reported that Wings GM Curt Miller said he he “already received more calls about potential trades for the #1 pick in the upcoming draft than he did in the lead-up to the 2025 draft.” But a lot of that is due to the talent available at the top of the draft.
“The Cailtin Clark draft, there was not going to be a trade, Paige [Bueckers] was not going to be traded, but it will be interesting, and it makes our job fun to listen to those phone calls that come in for the #1 pick. And we’ll do what’s best for our franchise.” Miller said.
Miller is saying that every team knew that they wouldn’t have traded the Paige Bueckers pick last year, and the Indiana Fever wouldn’t have traded the Caitlin Clark pick. Those were generational superstars from the moment they entered college, and the star power and popularity alone would’ve made it hard to trade those picks. The Indiana Fever are the most popular team in the WNBA because of Clark, and no team saw more social media growth this year than the Wings because of Bueckers.
Curt Miller said he’s already received more calls about potential trades for the #1 pick in the upcoming draft than he did in the leadup to the 2025 draft.
— Drake (@DrakeKeeler) November 24, 2025
READ MORE: Dallas Wings win WNBA Draft lottery, will pick No. 1 for second straight year
As of now, there is no player that is a lock to go first overall, but there are plenty of players who could be considered, including Lauren Betts, Awa Fam, Azzi Fudd, Ta’Niya Latson, and Olivia Miles. If it stays like that all year, and unless the Wings fall in love with a particular player, trading down a few spots may be a great opportunity to gain future draft capital.
If they enter the draft saying “We’d be happy with any of these three players,” they should trade back to the third pick, if the opportunity presents itself and the capital makes sense.
They could also use the pick to trade for a readymade star. A lot of players around the WNBA are entering free agency this offseason, which Miller says having Bueckers and the first pick will be a huge draw in free agency, but the Wings can also be aggressive in trades because of the pick.
READ MORE: Paige Bueckers praised by Cooper Flagg after support at recent Mavericks games
Stick with WingsGameday for more FREE coverage of the Dallas Wings throughout the offseason.
We’ve got a good old-fashioned NFC East rivalry matchup in store for “America’s Game of the Week” on Sunday.
The Eagles (8-2) and the Cowboys (4-5-1) meet up in Texas for the latest installment of one of the NFL’s top rivalries. Philadelphia won the first game between these two teams to open the season back in September, taking down Dallas in a game that was much closer than many expected.
However, the Eagles have largely looked the part of a defending Super Bowl champion since that game. They enter Sunday’s tilt as the NFC’s No. 1 seed. The Cowboys, however, have had a bumpy year. They have a tough hill to climb to make the postseason, but it seems possible with newcomer Quinnen Williams leading an improved defensive unit.
Will Philly maintain control of the NFC, or can Dallas start a winning streak and make a playoff push?
Follow along for Sunday’s highlights!
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Live Coverage for this began on 3:47p ET
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