3 Dallas Cowboys dream trade targets ahead of camp

1. Malik Hooker, Safety

Earlier this year, the Indianapolis Colts decided not to pick up the fifth-year option on safety Malik Hooker, which was a bit of a surprise. Taken at No. 15 overall in the 2017 NFL Draft, Hooker has been a playmaker when he’s on the field. The problem is, he’s missed a lot of time.

And ESPN’s Mike Wells believes that the durability concerns have a lot to do with why the Colts didn’t pick up Hooker’s option beyond the 2020 season.

"Hooker, the first draft pick by general manager Chris Ballard in 2017, had his rookie season cut short after just seven games when he suffered a torn ACL and MCL against Jacksonville. Hooker recovered quickly enough to play in 14 games the next season. Injuries slowed him again last season, as Hooker missed three games with a torn meniscus."

Wells also believes Julian Blackmon, who is coming off a torn ACL himself, could be the replacement for Hooker. If there’s any truth to the team wanting to move on from the Ohio State product, Dallas should be interested to see what it would take to land him.

For years, Dallas has struggled at safety and while the signing of Ha Ha Clinton-Dix helps, they could still use another game-changer — and Hooker is exactly that when he’s on the field.

In his three seasons, Hooker already has seven interceptions and two fumble recoveries. His ability to break on the ball and create turnovers is what made him stand out with the Buckeyes and is also why Dallas should be interested.

https://nflspinzone.com/2020/06/10/nfl-free-agency-…layers-remaining/

They could also land a former top-15 pick for a reasonable price, something this front office has loved doing in the past.