The agent for Bears free agent DT Henry Melton, Jordan Woy, recently mentioned that his client would have interest in signing with the Cowboys this offseason, depending on how things go in next few weeks.
“Henry’s from Dallas, he played for [Marinelli], obviously there would be interest from Henry’s side, but who knows at this point?” Woy said, via ESPN Dallas.
Former Bears defensive line coach Rod Marinelli is now the Cowboys defensive coordinator, so that could be another selling point for Melton given that his best years in the NFL came while playing for Marinelli.
Melton was considered one of the better interior lineman in the league after posting 13 sacks combined in the 2012 and 2013 seasons. A converted running back at the University of Texas, Melton played the crucial “under-tackle” position in the Bears defensive front, which requires a quick, penetrating interior presence.
Melton’s value has taken a hit, after tearing his ACL in the third game of this season. He is expected to be ready to practice by May, but the injury raises questions about his ability to maintain his quickness. Additionally, Melton was arrested on December 21st for assault and public intoxication, which may also hurt his value.
Woy mentioned that Melton is recovering well from knee surgery and is already running, which is a good sign.
The problem with the idea of the Cowboys signing Melton is the fact that they are financially broke. Recent cap projections have them at $18 million over the cap and there may not be enough savings for them to shop around for quality free agents during the offseason.
There has been a lot of talk that Pittsburgh DT Aaron Donald could be a fit for them at No. 16 overall in this year’s draft.
We still have Melton listed as the No. 17 player in our Top 50 Free Agents list.
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