3 free agents that fit Micah Parsons's wishlist for Cowboys defense upgrades
By Josh Wilson
Free agent: Sheldon Rankins
Sheldon Rankins played out a year with the cross-state Houston Texans last season and bounced back in a big way in the pass rushing game, accruing six sacks, the most he's had since 2018 in New Orleans which was the third year of his career. He logged double-digit quarterback hits as well.
Most notably, after a few seasons of relative decline, it looked like maybe Rankins was coming up on his career's twilight. Instead, after a quality eighth year in the league, now he looks reborn. Pro Football Reference's Approximate Value grade gave him an eight, the best season of his career, in 2023.
If the Cowboys want someone who can wreak havoc on opposing offensive lines and just get in the quarterback's face, Rankins probably does the job there.
He'd come in pricier than Settle with a projection of nearly $10 million per year. This may also come down to what Rankins wants out of his next stop. If it's a one-year deal, it's more tenable for the Cowboys to get that done. But after a bounce-back season, perhaps he's seeking a multi-year deal to capitalize on his quality 2023 to earn himself some stability and a nice final contract to play the end of his career on.
Furthermore, he may be interested in taking a discount to come back with the Texans, who are building something really special in Houston.
Rankins is reportedly 6-foot-2 and 305 pounds. Once again a bit light for Parsons's standards, but he may just have to let that number go.