Jerry Jones did something in free agency that doesn’t usually fit the Cowboys’ usual script, and it already has one national analyst calling trouble.
Dallas came out swinging on the first day of 2026 free agency, landing Rashan Gary from the Green Bay Packers and then handing safety Jalen Thompson a three-year, $33 million deal. That kind of external splash is not the norm for Jones, who typically leans toward one-year reclamation bets and the long, drawn-out extension dance. This time, though, the Cowboys moved fast and paid up.
The Thompson signing is expected to give Christian Parker’s defense an immediate boost, but Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton doesn’t see it ending well. In his rundown of the biggest bust candidate for every NFL team, Moton pegged Thompson as Dallas’ top risk and pointed to the lack of takeaway production as the main concern.
"Thompson hasn't recorded an interception since the 2023 campaign," Moton wrote. "Though he's registered nine pass breakups in that time frame, the seven-year veteran also allowed passer ratings above 102.
Thompson logged seven of his nine career interceptions in two seasons (2021 and 2023). He lacks playmaking consistency and could be a free-agent disappointment."
That’s the kind of critique that lands in a league obsessed with splash plays from the back end. But Thompson isn’t built like a classic center-field safety anyway. The source material describes him as a versatile piece who can line up at nickel corner, work inside the box, and still handle duties on the back end.
And while Moton is sounding the alarm, the rest of the picture around Dallas points in the opposite direction. The Cowboys needed bodies on defense, and they needed players who could help right away.
Thompson brings more than just versatility. He’s also viewed as an elite leader, and Dallas even considered giving him the green dot before settling on DeMarvion Overshown. He arrives with serious mileage too: the 2019 supplemental draft pick from Washington State has made 87 starts over seven seasons in Arizona.
Compared with Donovan Wilson, that kind of experience is a clear upgrade, and the expectation is that Dallas should see a return on the investment without much delay. Thompson doesn’t have to solve everything for the Cowboys.
He just has to be healthy and fit into a defense that needed help. If that happens, Jerry Jones won’t be regretting this move anytime soon.
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