USAT: Cowboys Wire audio clip

USAT: Cowboys Wire

Mar 22, 2022

The Dallas Cowboys have been busy, shoring up their roster with returning free agents. They agreed to terms with Bryan Anger on Tuesday, bringing their total bring-back haul to 10 of their 23 free agents with three lost. Two of those 10 players were linebacker Leighton Vander Esch and defensive end Dorance Armstrong, two career-long Cowboys out of the 2018 draft class. - Now, the details of those deals have been established. Vander Esch’s deal is for one year, $2 million, with up to $1 million in playing time incentives. Meanwhile Armstrong’s two-year, $13 million pact includes a void year to help defer some of the cap hit. - - Leighton Vander Esch (Cowboys) one year, $2M, $500K signing bonus, $1.75M gtd, $1.25M salary (gtd), $14,760 per game active roster bonus, up to $1M playtime incentives, $150,000 workout base de-escalator clause - — Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) March 22, 2022 - - - In the first half of the 2021 season, Vander Esch’s was up in the air. As his play had regressed, a fate similar to what Jaylon Smith met in the first third of the season wasn’t out of the question.  When Jabril Cox went down with a torn ACL, Vander Esch was thrust into extra playing time and improved towards the tail end of the year. - This is a prove-it deal for the Boise State product and a $2 million contract doesn’t pose any risks for the Cowboys. If his play continues to improve, he earns a spot next to linebacker Micah Parsons. If not? He’ll likely be finding a new home in 2023. - - Contract terms for Cowboys DE Dorance Armstrong: two years, $13M, including $1M in sack incentives, source said. Has 2024 void year for early cap relief. Armstrong is fully guaranteed $6M, including $4.5M signing bonus. Has $500K roster bonus each year. 2022 cap hit: $3.38M. - — Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) March 22, 2022 - - - While Vander-Esch’s deal was a small one, Armstrong gets a huge pay raise. In his first four years in Dallas, Armstrong never had a cap hit larger than $1.09 million. Now, he has a base salary of $1.5 million in 2022 with a $3.38 million cap hit. - 2021 was Armstrong’s best season in the NFL with a career high 37 tackles and five sacks in just 13 games. With Randy Gregory heading to Denver, there’s a big hole at right defensive end and Armstrong is the most likely replacement if Parsons doesn’t get thrust into heavy snaps as a pass rusher. - Armstrong’s deal is a big jump and a cap hit of $7 million in 2023 puts pressure on him to ascend into a starting role for Dan Quinn. The Cowboys’ decisions in the draft will reflect their plans for Armstrong, and a big year could be ahead for him across from left defensive end Demarcus Lawrence. - - List - - 2022 free agency: 10 remaining options for Cowboys in Week 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Email - - - - - Sign up - - - - - - - - Like this article? - Sign up for the Cowboys Wire email newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning - - - - An error has occured - - - Please re-enter your email address. - - - - - - Thanks for signing up! - - - You'll now receive the top Cowboys Wire stories each day directly in your inbox.

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