The Dallas Cowboys' offseason has largely been centered around retaining players, plus getting some more offensive additions for Brian Schottenheimer.
But let's not forget the defense, and in particular, at linebacker.
Last season, it was Eric Kendricks or bust after DeMarvion Overshown went down with his knee injury. Marist Liufau showed promise, and Damone Clark seemingly fell off the face of the earth. Plus, Nick Vigil played more than fans would have liked.
So, it makes sense to fortify the linebacker spot, especially for coordinator Matt Eberflus, who has a knack for getting quality linebacker play out of his unit.
And it is here that the Cowboys, for CBS Sports, should consider free agent Robert Spillane from the Las Vegas Raiders.
"If you're reading this, you have about as much chance of playing linebacker for the Cowboys next season as anybody else," CBS Sports writes. "They have Marist Liufau and Damone Clark on hand and that's basically it, unless Demarvion Overshown makes a miraculous recovery from his devastating, multi-ligament knee injury. They brought in Eric Kendricks on a one-year deal last offseason, but could go for a bit more of a multiyear solution here with Spillane."
A solid veteran contributor, Spotrac.com has Spillane's value set at $10.4 million APY, and that might seem too rich for Dallas, but given the need to cover and starters at linebacker, Spillane would be a solid choice to join Eberflus' unit.
A locker room leader and a tackle machine (over 148 tackles in each of the last two seasons), he's not a flashy player like Overshown, but he is a steady contributor and one who could be a valuable addition to the room.
Of course, money will be a factor, but this is one player that Dallas has to have their eye on, and as we state with most tier 2 free agents, a call has to at least be made.
