Cowboys News: Gerald McCoy Released from 3-Year Contract After Quad Injury

Blake SchusterAnalyst IIAugust 18, 2020

Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy (93) picks up a penalty flag, during the second half at an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2019, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Bill Feig)

Bill Feig/Associated Press

Gerald McCoy's stint with the Dallas Cowboys is over before he ever took a snap.

The defensive tackle suffered a quad injury Monday that allowed the club to void a three-year, $18.3 million deal initially signed in March.

Mike Garafolo @MikeGarafolo
The full section on the quad in Gerald McCoy’s #Cowboys contract if you really want to geek out. https://t.co/DTyJK0chny

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, McCoy will keep a $3 million signing bonus, but the Cowboys can walk away from the rest of his contract with the veteran due for season-ending surgery.

As NFL Network's Nick Shook notes, Dallas would not have signed McCoy unless he agreed to the waiver. Knee and quadriceps injuries suffered by the 32-year-old last season with the Carolina Panthers apparently made the team wary of McCoy's durability going forward.

The Oklahoma native still started all 16 games in 2019 while recording 37 total tackles, five sacks and two pass deflections despite his ailments. McCoy had missed more than two games in a season only once (2014) since 2012.

That durability and experience was expected to give the Cowboys a bit more depth on defense this year as the team transitioned to new head coach Mike McCarthy.

Nick Eatman @nickeatman
Stephen Jones on Gerald McCoy Tuesday: “Knowing from our studies, he’ll push. He’s a warrior. He’ll get back. And in my opinion, he’ll end up playing for the Dallas Cowboys, albeit not this year. But i see him putting on a (Cowboys) uniform on in the future.”

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McCoy grew up a Cowboys fan and told Sirius XM radio back in March it was "almost like a dream come true to play for a team that I grew up watching and admired" (h/t CBSSports.com's Patrik Walker). The dream is on hold now but may not be totally dead.

Nick Eatman of DallasCowboys.com reports the franchise has "hopes" of re-signing McCoy again next offseason once he's fully healthy.

In the meantime, the Cowboys are set to move ahead with DeMarcus Lawrence, Antwaun Woods, Dontari Poe, Neville Gallimore and Randy Gregory at defensive tackle in 2020 baring any further injuries.