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Cowboys safeties roster review: Even without Jayron Kearse depth chart may be full

Published

2 years ago

February 28, 2024

Cowboys safeties roster review: Even without Jayron Kearse depth chart may be full

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.

Safeties Under Contract for 2024

Donovan Wilson – $7.37m cap hit
Malik Hooker – $3.99m cap hit
Juanyeh Thomas – $915k cap hit
Sheldrick Redwine – $1.13m cap hit

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.

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Dallas, TX

Anti-ICE protest outside Dallas City Hall follows deadly shooting in Minneapolis

Published

11 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Anti-ICE protest outside Dallas City Hall follows deadly shooting in Minneapolis – CBS Texas

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This protest was organized by the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.

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Dallas, TX

Dallas Weather: Changes on the way for North Texas

Published

23 hours ago

January 8, 2026

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Dallas Weather: Changes on the way for North Texas

DALLAS – The warm and muggy weather will give way to much cooler temperatures in the Dallas-Fort Worth area over the next few days.

Thursday Forecast

According to the FOX 4 Weather team, rain chances return on Thursday as a disturbance moves through the Plains.

The best chance for showers and storms will be north of Interstate 20. There’s a marginal risk for severe storms for the areas northwest of DFW and along the Red River.

A southwest wind will also keep things very warm throughout the day. Expect highs to climb into the upper 70s to 80s. Wind gusts may reach as high as 25 to 30 mph.

Weekend Forecast

The next cold front swings through on Friday afternoon. Ahead of it, there are rain chances, especially southeast of DFW.

Behind this front, noticeably colder air moves in for the weekend. Expect lows in the 30s and afternoon highs in the 50s.

7-Day Forecast

A slow warm-up is expected heading into early next week.

The Source: The information in this story comes from FOX 4 Weather Meteorologist Ali Turiano’s weather report.

Weather

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Dallas, TX

Live updates: Washington Capitals vs Dallas Stars at Capital One Arena

Published

1 day ago

January 7, 2026

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Live updates: Washington Capitals vs Dallas Stars at Capital One Arena

Justin Sourdif gave Capitals fans one of the most fun individual efforts of the season, recording five points and scoring his first career hat trick against the Anaheim Ducks on Monday. Sourdif had fantastic chemistry with Connor McMichael and Ryan Leonard in their first game together.

Now the question becomes – Can the Young Guns 2.0 keep it up against a usually-stingy, defensively stout Dallas Stars team?

With Tom Wilson and Aliaksei Protas out again due to injury, Brett Leason will make his season debut with the Capitals. Meanwhile, Dylan McIlrath will remain in the lineup.

The Stars come into on a six-game losing streak. Casey DeSmith will start in goal over Jake Oettinger while the Capitals will counter with Logan Thompson.

Puck drop for today’s game is scheduled for a little after 7:00 pm. The game’s national and on TNT.

I’m dedicating my work tonight to Callie. I love you, my sweet girl. 💔

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More Info

Lines

Washington Capitals

Beauvillier

Strome

Ovechkin

McMichael

Sourdif

Leonard

Dallas Stars

Duchene

Johnston

Rantanen

Tunnel shenanigans

1st Period

Puck is dropped. McMichael-Sourdif-Leonard and Fehervary-Carlson get the start.

Hendrix Lapierre passing directly to a Stars forward in the slot on his first shift of the game is probably not a good sign for his ice time tonight.
— RMNB (@rmnb) January 8, 2026

Ilya Lyubushkin to the box for holding Jakob Chychrun at 2:44.

Stars’ Radek Faska goes 1 on 3 shorthanded and scores after Logan Thompson loses sight of a rebound. WHAT WAS THAT.

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1-0 Dallas Stars

SHG: Radek Faksa (2). Assists: E. Lindell (14). Time: 3:06

Back to the power play and… Justin Sourdif gets tossed from the faceoff dot, starts screaming at the official, Connor McMichael comes in, says something, and he gets an unsportsmanlike doncut penalty, killing the rest of the team’s power play. You can tell Carbery is fuming.

The two teams are now playing four-on-four.

Puck bounces over Dylan Strome’s stick on a wide-open net down low after a great setup by John Carlson.

Stars are outshooting the Capitals 5-0, 5:30 into the first period.

Apparently Beck Malenstyn has returned to the Capitals because one of the commentators said he just made a play. Lmao. No one on the Capitals even wears no. 47.

Sam Steel ailing and holding his left arm after a big hit by Ethen Frank.

At intermission: The Stars lead 1-0. The Caps didn’t really do anything in the first period. They were there. They existed. But that was about it. Shots on goal are 10-8 Dallas.

2nd Period

Puck is dropped.

Ilya Lyubushkin and Brandon Duhaime throwing punches at each other after the play at 1:12. Lyubushkin is going down the tunnel due to a cut on his nose.

John Carlson… just watching a pass through the paint to his man, no stick lift or anything, just chillin.

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2-0 Dallas Stars

Goal: Sam Steel (7). Assists: T. Harley (14), M. Duchene (6). Time: 2:37

Ryan Leonard fakes a dump-in and almost scores with a crazy shot to the far side from center ice.

Brandon Duhaime and Ilya Lyubushkin drop the gloves right off a faceoff at 12:53. Duhaime punches Lyubushkin about 5 times hard in the back of the helmet. Hope his knuckles are doing okay. The Caps crowd is finally into it, though.

Logan Thompson stops Roope Hintz on a two-on-none breakaway after Nic Dowd fails to get the puck deep. Caps look awful.

Mikko Rantanen slashes Justin Sourdif at 15:55. Caps going back to the power play.

At intermission: The Stars lead 2-0. Dallas leads in shots on goal 20 to 13.

3rd Period

Puck is dropped.

Anthony Beauvillier takes it hard to the net, and gets two opportunities but can’t whack the puck through.

Nic Dowd to the box for hooking at 4:57. The Caps look awful. Just listless. Can’t get anything going. A lot of standing around.

4 shots by the Stars on the power play. Thompson keeping the Caps close.

McMichael ices the puck at the end of the kill.

Caps have one shot on goal through the first 7:03 of the third period.

Jason Robertson rips one hard off the post. Thompson is flopping all over the place to keep the puck out.

McMichael and Duchene trade opportunities down the wing off the rush.

Beauvillier sends a horrible pass backwards to Matt Roy in the defensive zone, turnover to the Stars’ Steel, and Wyatt Johnston scores easily in front of the net. YIKES.

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