The Dallas Cowboys made a move today and signed veteran linebacker Justin Durant to help provide experience to the linebacker position. In order to make room for Durant the Cowboys released defensive tackle Casey Walker.
The Cowboys are bringing back linebacker @JDurant52 for veteran depth.
Read More: https://t.co/CDxB4Hue9D pic.twitter.com/KBKJnGhnYo— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) July 18, 2016
The move isn’t all that surprising considering that middle linebacker Rolando McClain was suspended for the first 10 games of the 2016 season. The Cowboys have a lot of inexperienced linebackers and their reunion with Durant just made too much sense.
Durant spent the 2013 and 2014 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, but played 2015 with the Atlanta Falcons. He is familiar with defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli’s 4-3 defense and should be able to hit the ground running once training camp kicks off on July 28 in Oxnard, California.
Justin Durant was one of three veteran linebackers that I thought the Dallas Cowboys might be interested in when I first learned of Rolando McClain’s suspension, but as you can see from the article he wasn’t one of my top choices.
Durant to me is more of a weak side linebacker, so it will be interesting to see where the coaching staff decides to use him and how it will affect some of the younger linebackers currently on the roster.
Putting my own feelings aside, Justin Durant certainly makes a depth at the linebacker position for the Dallas Cowboys look a lot more stable.
Unfortunately, injuries have been a reoccurring theme for Durant throughout his career in the NFL, but the Cowboys obviously believe he can help the defense in 2016.
A one-year contract hardly guarantees Justin Durant a starting job and if one of the younger linebackers can step up and prove themselves in training camp Durant could be looking for another team to play for in 2016.
As things stand right now though, please join me and the rest of us here at Inside The Star in welcoming Justin Durant back to the Dallas Cowboys.
Update: Justin Durant’s 1 year contract details revealed.
Veteran LB Justin Durant's 1-year deal with the #Cowboys is worth $965k with $200k fully gtd.
— Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) July 20, 2016
That is a pretty good chunk of change for a linebacker that we all hope is nothing more than a backup for the Dallas Cowboys. That would mean that one of the younger linebackers steps up and proves themselves capable of being the starter.
