Dallas Cowboys: Top 7 moves in the 2021 offseason
4. Signing S/LB Keanu Neal
The Dallas Cowboys took a shot in free agency on former first-round safety Keanu Neal, a player who has struggled badly with injuries throughout his career.
Neal’s only 16-game season as a pro resulted in his lone Pro Bowl appearance, evidence that when he is able to get out on the field and actually play consistently, he can prove himself worthy of the first-round distinction he carries.
Neal played in 15 games this past season for the Falcons, the most he’s played since that 2017 Pro Bowl campaign.
He racked up 100 total tackles, nine tackles for loss, three quarterback hits, a sack, and an interception. With the way the NFL is going, Neal’s transition to linebacker in Dan Quinn’s defense should be a natural fit for him.
With his athleticism, Neal should at least not be an athletic mismatch in coverage at the linebacker position and the Cowboys obviously envision him making a lot of plays both in coverage and behind the line of scrimmage whether as a pass rusher or blitzer.
This will certainly not be the first time that Dan Quinn has utilized Neal in a versatile role.
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— PFF (@PFF) June 3, 2017
Neal will be a valuable piece of Dan Quinn’s defense not only for what he can do being deployed at a variety of positions but also for communicating the defense to the young players being put in place. He should be a crucial veteran addition to this unit and hopefully, he can stay healthy.