Cowboys Rumors: Leighton Vander Esch Agrees to New 2-Year, $11M Contract

The Dallas Cowboys reportedly managed to avoid losing one of their top defensive players to free agency.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, veteran linebacker Leighton Vander Esch has agreed to re-sign with the Cowboys on a two-year contract worth $11 million.

A first-round pick in the 2018 draft who earned a Pro Bowl selection in his first year, Vander Esch played the 2022 season on a one-year contract after Dallas declined to pick up the fifth-year option on his rookie deal. Despite his importance to the team, it's understandable that there was some hesitance to commit to him after he missed 13 games combined over the 2019 and 2020 seasons.

Vander Esch returned to form over the past two years, appearing in all 17 games in 2021. In 2022, he started 14 games and ranked second on the team with 90 total tackles. ESPN's Todd Archer noted that the 27-year-old had a significant impact on the Cowboys' run defense, as they gave up 132.0 rush yards per game when he wasn't on the field compared to 119.4 yards when he was in the lineup.

In addition to retaining Vander Esch, the Cowboys made another move to bolster their defense by acquiring five-time Pro Bowl cornerback Stephon Gilmore from the Indianapolis Colts for a 2023 fifth-round pick, per Rapoport and Tom Pelissero.

The 32-year-old played in 16 games last season and recorded a career-high 66 tackles with 11 passes defended and two interceptions.

Dallas is hoping to keep its window for title contention open, and Tuesday's moves are a step in the right direction.