FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys’ secondary continues to change. The club’s starting free safety, Xavier Woods has found a new home. Woods and the Minnesota Vikings have agreed to terms on a one-year deal worth up to $2.25 million with $1.75 million guaranteed, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The Cowboys selected Woods in the sixth-round of the 2017 NFL draft and during the course of his four-year tenure in Dallas, he compiled five interceptions and 72 combined tackles in 60 games played (48 starts). The 25-year-old became a full-time starter in 2018 and even though he was one of the veterans/ staples in the Cowboys’ last line of defense in 2020, he struggled to find consistency with lapses in coverage despite ranking second on the team in tackles (72). Woods notched two tackles for loss and two passes defensed last season.
Woods will have the opportunity to start in Minnesota opposite Harrison Smith, replacing Anthony Harris who signed with the Philadelphia Eagles during free agency. Like the Cowboys after a lackluster defensive effort in 2020, the franchise has placed their priorities on the defensive side of the football.
For the Cowboys, the club recently signed three safeties to bolster the back end of the defense: Keanu Neal, Jayron Kearse, and Damontae Kazee. Donovan Wilson and Kazee are the projected starters with Neal rotating at weakside linebacker and strong safety in certain packages.
