Chiefs Super Bowl winner would be perfect fit for Dallas Cowboys, and won’t break the bank

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One of the glaring holes on the Dallas Cowboys’ defense in 2023 was the linebacking position.

In 2023, they gave up 4.2 yards-per-carry, without Leighton Vander Esch throughout most of the campaign.

From early December until their playoff exit, Dallas allowed over 100 yards on the ground in four of six games.

What to do about Vander Esch

When Vander Esch is healthy he’s a big part of the Cowboys’ defense.

However, he’s coming off a serious neck injury, which saw him play just five games in 2023.

He was productive in those five appearances, registering 30 tackles and a defensive touchdown.

Per SB Nation, releasing him would trigger a cap hit of $2.3 million but also save $2.1 million in cap space.

That might not be much, but when you look at who’s on the free agent market, that money could be put to good use.

Who is Willie Gay?

If the Cowboys want to add some championship pedigree this offseason, Willie Gay should be high on their priority list.

Gay is fresh off helping the Kansas City Chiefs win back-to-back Super Bowls, registering 58 tackles with one sack and a career-high three fumble recoveries in the regular season.

He’s had at least 30 tackles in his four seasons with KC, while forcing two fumbles and making his first career interception in 2023.

Why the Cowboys could use Gay’s services

In 2023, the Cowboys were short on bodies in the linebacking core.

When Vander Esch went down, Damone Clark became their most experienced started, while Markquese Bell converted from safety to be Clark’s primary linebacking partner.

While both did decent jobs at times in 2023, their inexperience in that position showed as the season wore on.

Adding Gay should immediately improve the Cowboys at that position.

He’s a guy who learned from the best in Steve Spagnuolo, is capable of staying healthy and knows the grind of going to the Super Bowl and getting back there.

He also had a relatively high grade against the run.

PFF gave him a 71.3 grade for run defense in 2023.

Those are high marks for a player at his position.

What’s Gay’s projected salary

There are many appealing qualities about Gay, including his price tag.

Spotrac has his 2024 market value at $7 million.

Given Jerry Jones’ budgetary constraints, that’s a reasonable investment when considering what he brings to the table.

Obviously, the priority is inking Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons to long-term deals, but adding Gay wouldn’t break the bank either.

Why Gay might be out in KC

Many might shake their head if Gay chose to leave the Chiefs.

Being a starter and featuring for a team in the hunt for a historic three-peat is certainly an appealing prospect.

However, it may not be within Gay’s control.

We know Gay isn’t at the top of the Chiefs’ priority list, with Chris Jones and L’Jarius Sneed set to become unrestricted free agents.

Gay may not even be at the top of their priority at the linebacking position, with Drue Tranquill and Nick Bolton also on the market.

A lot is still up in the air regarding Gay, but if he’s available, it’d be a savvy investment for the Cowboys, which could pay off handsomely.