1. Eric Berry, Safety
Before coming to terms with George Iloka, the Cowboys kicked the tires on other free agent safeties including Eric Berry, the former No. 5 overall pick of the Kansas City Chiefs back in 2010. Berry came out of the University of Tennessee ready to take over the NFL and was a stud from the start.
As a rookie, he had 87 tackles, four interceptions — one he returned for a score — and nine pass defenses. However, health has always been a concern for the talented defensive back.
Berry played in just one game in his second season after tearing his ACL. He returned from that to have back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons in 2012 and 2013. Then, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2014 which again limited his time on the field.
He ended up beating cancer and again returned to the field to make two more Pro Bowls in 2015 and 2016. Unfortunately, injuries popped back up as Berry tore his Achilles in 2017 and missed 15 games. He missed another 14 as he struggled to recover from the injury last season and was eventually released.
Berry visited with Dallas after being cut and reportedly took a physical with the team. They may not have liked what they saw as Berry reportedly has Haglund’s deformity in his heel which has caused him a lot of pain as he recovers.
Even with the issue, Berry wants to continue his NFL career and Dallas makes a lot of sense. At this point, his contract would be minimal but should he be able to play he would have a lot to offer the team. This feels like a low-risk, high-reward type of signing that this front office lives for.