Cowboys Sign DT Henry Melton

Henry Melton announced via his Twitter account that he has signed with the Dallas Cowboys.

Thank you chicago for the best 5 years of my life!…. I can’t wait to begin the next chapter of my life… With a star on my helmet.

— Henry Melton (@HenMel) March 19, 2014

• ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Melton will receive a multi-year contract from the Cowboys.
• Mike Garafolo reports that Melton receives a one-year contract that would turn into a three-year contract and include guarantees if he’s on their roster at the start of the 2015 league year.

For a teams desperately in need of interior defensive line help, they couldn’t have done any better at this point in free agency.

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, so it will be interesting to see the amount of guaranteed money included in his contract.  He is expected to be ready to practice by May, but the injury raises questions about his ability to maintain his quickness.

We had Melton listed as the No. 1 best available player in our Top 50 Free Agents list.