Cowboys Sign DT Cedric Thornton for 4 Years, $18 Million

The Dallas Cowboys have finally done something in free agency! After some rumblings that the team was close to a deal with Eagles defensive tackle Cedric Thornton throughout the day yesterday, the news just broke that the two sides have agreed on a 4 year deal worth $18 million.

ALERT: #Cowboys have agreed to 4-year deal w DT Cedric Thornton, ex #Eagles @1053thefan

— fishsports ✭ (@fishsports) March 10, 2016

Looks like Thornton is the 1T DT upgrade people have been asking for. 45 starts and 144 tackles in the last 3 seasons.

— David Helman (@davidhelman_) March 10, 2016

Thornton appears to be the perfect upgrade for Dallas at the 1T spot, as David Helman points out, and he comes at the right price. The four year deal will pair the athletic Thornton with the equally athletic Tyrone Crawford, who will be back healthy in 2016, in the heart of the Cowboys’ defensive line.

Dallas also has David Irving under contract for 2016 who, when healthy, showed great versatility in his time with the team this season. If this team can possibly keep Terrell McClain healthy in 2016, a defensive tackle rotation of McClain, Crawford, Irving and Thornton will stack up with the league’s best offenses – while freeing up space for DeMarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory to come around the edge.

The 2015 defensive line did not live up to their lofty training camp expectations this season, and it appears that Will McClay and Co. are trying to remedy that for the 2016 season. #SACKSCOMING.