$74M former 1st-round pick leaves Cowboys den, rejoins former DL coach

Yahoo Sports2h ago35 min readOriginal source →

TL;DR

Dante Fowler, a former 1st-round pick and $74M player, has signed a one-year deal with the Seattle Seahawks worth up to $5 million after leaving the Dallas Cowboys. He previously had two stints with the Cowboys, contributing three sacks last season.

Key points

Dante Fowler signed a one-year deal with the Seattle Seahawks
Contract worth up to $5 million
Previously played for the Dallas Cowboys
Recorded three sacks last season with the Cowboys
Had a successful season with 10.5 sacks under Dan Quinn

Dante FowlerDallas CowboysSeattle SeahawksWashington Commanders

$74M former 1st-round pick leaves Cowboys den, rejoins former DL coach

The Dallas Cowboys have rebuilt much of their defense during the 2026 offseason, but it’s not quite done. Christian Parker could use a designated edge-rush veteran to beef up the pass rush, and one of the top options just signed somewhere else.

Pass rusher Dante Fowler agreed to a one-year deal with the Seattle Seahawks worth up to $5 million, giving the Cowboys one fewer player to help get after the quarterback. Fowler had two stints in Dallas, including last year, where he had three sacks and 10 QB hits.

That production came off the heels of a 10.5 sack campaign under Dan Quinn while playing with the Washington Commanders in 2024. Fowler was the highest priced free agent signed by the Cowboys during the 2025 offseason, but he couldn’t replicate the pressure under new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus.

Fowler’s a journeyman who’s made over $74 million across his career, playing for five teams since being the third overall pick in the 2015 draft. He's totaled 58.5 career sacks. The 31-year-old pass rusher has two double-digit sacks seasons on his ledger and had 13 sacks combined during his three years in Dallas.

He’s had an up and down career, but Fowler was a decent option as one of the best remaining designated pass rushers still on the market. Instead of coming back to the Cowboys for a fourth season, Fowler now heads to Seattle to reunite with his former line coach and current Seahawks DC Aden Durde, along with former Dallas defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence.