Hakeem Adeniji was absent from the 2024 season due to injury.
The Dallas Cowboys made an intriguing free agency decision by adding Hakeem Adeniji to the offensive line.
The Cowboys announced that they signed Adeniji to a deal on Thursday. He was previously a member of the Cleveland Browns in 2024 but was unable to suit up due to a knee injury he suffered in the preseason.
This marks the fourth team that Adeniji will play for since his NFL career began in 2020. He represented the Cincinnati Bengals and Minnesota Vikings from 2020 to 2023, as the former selected him in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
“The right guard position is still up for grabs, with Adeniji possessing the ability to play at both tackle and guard for Dallas. He'll likely be battling Charles, Jones, Brock Hoffman and T.J. Bass for the vacancy left by Zack Martin, as well as backup jobs across the entire line,” Cowboys writer Tommy Yarrish said.
“With three new additions on the offensive line, something to keep an eye on in the draft is when and if the Cowboys will still decide to use a pick on an offensive lineman. They have in the last seven draft cycles, and very well could look that direction at any point when they go on the clock in a week's time.”
What's next for Cowboys after adding Hakeem Adeniji
The Cowboys seem to be focused on fulfilling their roster needs in free agency. Their signing of Hakeem Adeniji is a solid example of that.
Adeniji appeared in 39 games throughout his appearances with the Bengals and Vikings. He took part in 1,008 total snaps, with 556 of them happening in the 2021 season with Cincinnati. He also played in Super Bowl 56 against the Los Angeles Rams.
Adeniji would look to provide a lot of valuable blocking and protection in the offensive line. Dallas was in the middle of the pack when it came to limiting sacks. They ranked 19th in the NFL with 38 sacks allowed. The run game could benefit from his presence as well. They ranked 27th in total rushing yards.
In the meantime, the Cowboys will continue to retool in the offseason, whether it's with draft preparations or in free agency.
Dallas hopes to return to the NFL Playoffs after falling short of it last year. They went 7-10 in 2024, as they begin a new era under head coach Brian Schottenheimer going into 2025.
