Cowboys Rumors: Dante Fowler Jr. to Sign New 1-Year Contract in 2023 NFL Free Agency

Veteran defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. enjoyed his first year in Dallas so much that he's reportedly staying put this offseason.

According to Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News, the Dallas Cowboys are re-signing Fowler to a new one-year contract.

Fowler played in all 17 games and tied for third on the Cowboys with six sacks while adding 27 tackles, nine quarterback hits, seven tackles for loss and two forced fumbles last season. Dallas ranked third in the NFL with 54 sacks, making a significant jump from 41 in 2021. Fowler's presence was a major reason for the team's improved pass rush.

The 28-year-old will be entering his ninth NFL season in 2023, though he struggled with his consistency during the early part of his career. The third overall pick in the 2015 draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars, Fowler missed his entire rookie season because of a torn ACL, but he recorded eight sacks two years later.

Fowler didn't sustain that level of production, totaling four sacks between the Jaguars and Los Angeles Rams during the 2018 season. He followed that up with the best performance of his career in 2019 with career highs of 58 tackles and 11.5 sacks, but he was in a contract year and also benefitted from playing alongside star defensive tackle Aaron Donald.

The Florida product then signed a three-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons, but he totaled 7.5 sacks over the next two seasons and was released from his contract a year ahead of schedule.

Perhaps Fowler will reach his true potential in another campaign with the Cowboys under defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.