The Dallas Cowboys signed veteran defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard Today to a one-year deal worth up to $2.5 million, adding an experienced presence to a defensive front that has seen significant turnover this offseason.
Bullard, 32, enters his 11th NFL season having played for six franchises since being selected by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 2016 draft out of Florida. He most recently spent the 2025 season with the New Orleans Saints, appearing in 15 games with six starts and recording 26 tackles, four tackles for loss and two passes defensed.
The signing was reported by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, who noted it also happened to fall on the birthday of Bullard’s late grandmother Joyce, a detail his agent passed along. By all accounts she was a devoted Cowboys fan who made her feelings about the team known loudly from her couch.
Why this signing made sense for Dallas
The Cowboys had a clear need on the defensive line after trading Osa Odighizuwa to the San Francisco 49ers for a third-round pick and Solomon Thomas to the Tennessee Titans in a seventh-round swap. Bullard fills depth on both the interior and edge, giving new defensive coordinator Christian Parker flexibility in his first season running the Dallas defense.
Bullard also brings something beyond roster value. He is reuniting with defensive line coach Marcus Dixon, who coached him with the Minnesota Vikings during the 2024 season. That year was arguably the best of Bullard’s career. Starting all 17 games for Minnesota, he posted 41 tackles, seven tackles for loss, three passes defensed and a sack, numbers that reflected what Dixon’s coaching approach draws out of his players.
Dixon operates with a philosophy built around ownership and execution. He asks his linemen to understand not just what they are doing but why, drawing on his own playing background to communicate the mindset required up front. The familiarity between coach and player gives Bullard a faster path to contributing in a system he has already succeeded in.
Where Bullard fits on the roster
Bullard becomes the third defensive line addition of the offseason for Dallas, joining nose tackle Otito Ogbonnia and outside linebacker Rashan Gary, who arrived via trade from the Green Bay Packers. The Cowboys have now brought in seven external players on the defensive side of the ball since the offseason began.
In the secondary, Dallas added safety Jalen Thompson on a three-year deal worth $33 million, cornerbacks Cobie Durant and Derion Kendrick from the Los Angeles Rams and safety P.J. Locke from the Denver Broncos. On offense the team has been quieter, signing quarterback Sam Howell and offensive lineman Mat Hennessy.
The one area Dallas has yet to address is off-ball linebacker, a position that remains on the team’s to-do list as the offseason continues.
Bullard’s career totals include 131 games played, 59 starts, 247 tackles, 6.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and 10 pass breakups. He has also appeared in three playoff games. With 44 starts over the past four seasons, he arrives in Dallas as someone well past the backup label he carried early in his career.
