Who is Jalen Thompson? 5 things to know about the Cowboys' new secondary addition

The Dallas Cowboys are off the blocks in 2026 free agency.

Dallas agreed to terms with safety Jalen Thompson, formerly of the Arizona Cardinals, just a few hours after free agency began on Monday.

Here are five tings to know about Thompson:

1. The basics

Cowboys

Date of birth: July 18, 1998 (Age: 28)

Hometown: Paramount, Calif.

Position: Safety

Height: 5-11

Weight: 190 lbs.

College: Washington State

2. Start of a new era?

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has said he’s unafraid to “bust the budget” this offseason. With the signing of Thompson, he might just be proving that.

At three years and a maximum of $36 million, that deal is unusually large by the Cowboys’ recent standards. In fact, it’s more than half of the $54 million Dallas spent on outside free agents in total between 2020-2025, according to an analysis by Over The Cap.

3. His connection with the Cowboys coaching staff

When Thompson joins his new team, he’ll have at least one familiar face to lean on.

Cowboys’ secondary coach Ryan Smith joined the team this offseason after a stint in Arizona. Smith spent three years with Thompson as the cornerbacks coach for the Cardinals before joining Christian Parker’s staff in Dallas.

4. His unique path to the NFL

Thompson was selected by the Arizona Cardinals as a fifth-round supplemental draft pick in 2019. To date, he is the most recent player selected in the NFL’s supplemental draft.

He only entered the supplemental draft after losing his senior season of eligibility at Washington State because of an NCAA rules violation related to his purchase of a banned over-the-counter supplement. That punishment left him without eligibility and forced him into the draft.

5. His fit in Dallas

One of the big reasons the Cowboys went after Thompson was his versatility. Thompson has the potential to play as a slot defender or “star” in defensive coordinator Christian Parker’s nickel defense.

Brian Schottenheimer said the Cowboys needed someone who could “cover like a corner, tackle like a linebacker and blitz like a safety,” at nickel. It seems they’re hoping Thompson, who has averaged two interceptions and 99 tackles per 17 games in his career, can do just that.

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