Jerry Jones made the big, “bust the budget” promise to fans. And so when Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean became available, Jones saw a way to fulfill his promise, and he put out an offer on the table. An offer that Dean didn’t find enticing, not even if joining them meant getting access to the world-class facilities or the no state income tax. For him, he didn’t get a gut feeling and joined the Raiders instead. But if Dean’s decision hurt the Cowboys, what happened next showed Jones wasn’t planning to sit still.

“The #Cowboys make another addition, this time agreeing to terms FA S Jalen Thompson, formerly of the #AZCardinals, per me and @SlaterNFL,” insider Ian Rapoport wrote on X. “He gets a 3-year, $36M max deal done by Don Weatherell and Martin Fischman of @KlutchSports.” First, help arrived in the secondary.

Now, although Jalen Thompson is listed as a safety, the Cowboys see something more flexible for him. Christian Parker, earlier this year, spoke about how he wanted his defense to be multiple, and honestly, the 27-year-old safety fits in perfectly. In the past season, he has logged 289 snaps at free safety, 320 snaps in the box, and 249 in the slot. Now, this matters because Jones already regrets losing out on Jourdan Lewis, and while Thomson may not be a full-time nickelback, he can move around. This kind of versatility doesn’t come cheap in today’s NFL.

Yet Dallas managed to secure him at a very reasonable price, with Thompson set to earn less than many of the league’s top 15 highest-paid safeties. The fit also feels natural. His skill set matches what defensive coordinator Parker wants from the position.

Last season, he appeared in 15 games and posted the lowest defensive completion percentage of his career at 62.3%. Opposing quarterbacks completed 38 passes on 61 targets against him while scoring three touchdowns. In addition, he recorded one interception in 2025 and finished the year with 95 tackles. Across his career, he has totaled nine interceptions, 37 passes defended, and 578 tackles.

Thompson is reuniting with defensive backs coach Ryan Smith, who previously worked with him at the Arizona Cardinals. All in all, it looks like a strong addition for the Cowboys’ defense. However, he isn’t the only signing of the day for the Cowboys. A few hours later, Jones brought back a familiar face.

“The #Cowboys are bringing back DE Sam Williams on a one-year, $3 million deal, per me and @SlaterNFL,” insider Mike Garafolo reported on X. “He returns to Dallas on a deal negotiated by his agent, @AndreOdom.”

Sam Williams already knows life in Dallas. The edge rusher has spent his three NFL seasons with America’s Team and has quietly produced during that span. In fact, he has recorded 9.5 sacks, 22 tackles for loss, and three forced fumbles.

However, his development was set back when an ACL tear during training camp forced him to miss one season under his rookie contract. This past season, Williams still managed to contribute with 37 tackles, including 23 solo stops, along with two pass breakups.

The Cowboys originally drafted him with the No. 56 pick in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft following three productive seasons in Oxford and a strong showing at the NFL Combine. Now he returns to AT&T Stadium for at least another year. As a result, Cowboys Nation will be watching closely to see how both defensive additions perform next season.

However, amid these moves, it’s important to note that Jones lost a Dean to a different team even after being offered the same money.

Why did Jerry Jones miss on Nakobe Dean?

The Dallas Cowboys ended the 2025 season with a disappointing 7-9-1 record and missed the playoffs for the second straight season. While the offense remained one of the league’s better units, the defense told a very different story. In fact, the unit struggled badly, ranking 30th in total yards allowed, 23rd against the run, and last in both passing yards and points surrendered.

As a result, major changes quickly followed. The Cowboys parted ways with defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus and hired Christian Parker, who previously served as the passing game coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles. Soon after the move, ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler mentioned that Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean could be a name to watch in Dallas.

And for a while, it appeared that Jerry Jones was seriously pushing to bring him to AT&T Stadium. However, Dean eventually chose to sign with the Raiders on a three-year deal worth $36 million. According to NFL insider Jane Slater, Dallas stayed right in the mix throughout the process.

As she explained, “Dallas was actually very competitive” in the bidding for Dean’s talents and made an offer that “was similar” to that made by the Raiders. In the end, Slater says, “ultimately he went with his gut feeling.” Interestingly, Dean even admitted that “he could have seen himself in both places.”

Dean picked Las Vegas by what was described to Slater as a “51/49 margin.” Naturally, that outcome stings for Cowboys Nation. After all, Jones has long promoted America’s Team as one of the NFL’s most attractive destinations. So now the focus shifts to what comes next. Even after missing out on Dean, Jones is already reshaping the roster and addressing those defensive problems before the new season begins.