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Malik Hooker #28 of the Dallas Cowboys
A week ago, the Dallas Cowboys were said to be weighing the outright release of starting safety Malik Hooker. Pro Football Focus, in identifying one “cut candidate” from each team, pegged Hooker as the guy who would go. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell also tabbed Hooker with that designation, calling him the most likely, “cap casualty.”
Ah, but not so fast. On Monday, just before the team officially kicked off the NFL’s free-agent bonanza, the Cowboys made a move on Hooker–to restructure his contract, not to release him. The Cowboys could have saved nearly $7 million by letting Hooker go, but instead decided to re-work his deal.
ESPN’s Todd Archer reported the change on Monday morning, with news coming after Terence Steele’s contract had been redone.
Wrote Archer: “The Cowboys have created $2 million in cap space in a re-worked deal for safety Malik Hooker, per sources. Add that to the $9.5ish million on Steele. Still can restructure deals of Kenny Clark, Quinnen Williams, DaRon Bland, Osa Odighizuwa, Jake Ferguson if they choose.”
Cowboys Add to Free-Agency Cash
And so the Cowboys coming into free agency well-armed with money to spend even after acquiring Rashan Gary in a trade from the Packers–they gave up a fourth-round pick in 2027 in the deal–and the $19.5 million still on Gary’s contract. The Cowboys could restructure that deal once Gary hits their books or, like Archer said, make moves to push forward money on other deals.
Still, it’s good news for Hooker, who is entering a critical season. He suffered a toe injury and was placed on injured reserve, and in the 12 games he did play, he was not particularly good. Hooker, after allowing a passer rating of just 80.9 in his first four seasons on the Cowboys’ back end, allowed a rating of 131.7 in 2025.
Hooker was rated the No. 13 safety in football by Pro Football Focus (out of 88) in 2022, and No. 14 in 2023. He slipped to 43rd in 2024 and last year plummeted all the way to 64th out of 91. He turns 30 in April, and it is entirely possible that the NFL has simply passed him by, which often happens when players at that position reach a certain age.
Malik Hooker Will Need Help
Even with Hooker back in the fold, though, the Cowboys are expected to target a safety in free agency. There are plenty of other needs–cornerback and linebacker stand out–but safeties can be had for a relative bargain, and the Cowboys should be aggressive in pursuing one.
It’s likely that the team won’t be bringing back Donovan Wilson, and he’ll need to be replaced.
The team has been linked to Reed Blankenship of the Eagles, who was captain of the secondary when new defensive coordinator Christian Parker was in Philadelphia. But according to team insider Bobby Belt of 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, one of the top players to watch at the safety position for Cowboys is Jalen Thompson of the Cardinals.
Said Belt on Monday: “If I had to pick one player that I say, ‘Hey, this guy’s gonna end up on the Dallas Cowboys in FA,’ it would be Jalen Thompson. It’s not a slam dunk. … I think that’s a player that they like..”
Sean Deveney is a veteran sports reporter covering the NBA, NFL and MLB for Heavy.com. He has written for Heavy since 2019 and has more than two decades of experience covering the NBA, including 17 years as the lead NBA reporter for the Sporting News. Deveney is the author of 7 nonfiction books, including “Fun City,” “Before Wrigley became Wrigley,” and “Facing Michael Jordan.” More about Sean Deveney
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