The Dallas Cowboys didn’t do much on the first day of free agency. They made a huge splash on day two. Jerry Jones and the front office prepared for free agency by restructuring the deals of Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb. Both players signed massive deals last offseason, but the team needed money available to make moves. Many thought Micah Parsons would be the record-breaking deal, but that is not the case. All-Pro returner KaVontae Turpin has signed a record-breaking three-year deal with Dallas.
Dallas Cowboys Sign KaVontae Turpin
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported the deal is a three-year, $18 million contract. This makes KaVontae Turpin the highest-paid special teams player in the NFL. Turpin is a great story. He did not make the jump to the NFL after four years at TCU. He played for the USFL before he was picked up by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2022. Since then, he has been one of the best returners in the league.
Turpin was able to set up the Dallas Cowboys with great field position last season. He returned 18 punts for a total of 187 yards and took one in for a touchdown. Additionally, he returned 27 kicks for a league-leading 904 yards, which included a 99-yard kick-return touchdown. His performance earned him a Pro Bowl nod and a first-team All-Pro selection. He was also a factor in the offense, catching 31 passes for 420 yards. The Cowboys paid handsomely but got an All-Pro player back on the roster.
Good Signing For Dallas?
The Dallas Cowboys definitely love to make headlines. In today’s NFL, I’m not sure the value of paying a kick returner top dollar. Only returning 27 kicks all year means the Cowboys are paying $6 million per year for Turpin to return one, maybe two kicks per game. It is the same breakdown for punt returns. Yes, he can play on offense and should take a larger role with this salary, but the Cowboys have more concerns on the roster outside of special teams.
Time will tell if this is a good move or not. Turpin hasn’t been able to get on the field much for the offense because of other receivers. If he performs well as a deep threat on offense, this contract could be an absolute steal. Can the Dallas Cowboys topple the elite teams in the NFC East and get back to the postseason?
