NFL free agency: Eric Kendricks expected to sign with Dallas Cowboys instead of San Francisco 49ers, per report

The Dallas Cowboys are finally on the board, picking up their first free agent of the 2024 free agency period. According to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, Jerry Jones has convinced linebacker Eric Kendricks to sign with the Cowboys over their NFC rivals, the San Francisco 49ers.

“Plot twist! Veteran linebacker Eric Kendricks is now expected to sign with the #Cowboys, per sources. The #49ers made a strong offer. But Kendricks is opting to reunite with Mike Zimmer, who gets an experienced LB to help run his defense,” said Pelissero via X.

The signing reunites Kendricks with Mike Zimmer, who was his head coach during his tenure with the Minnesota Vikings. He was a former second round pick made by the Cowboy’s new defensive coordinator back in the 2015 NFL draft by way of UCLA. Kendrick did spend last season as a member of the Los Angeles chargers and put up some respectable numbers. However, his best statistical seasons all stemmed from his time in Minnesota.

If anybody knows how to get the best out of Kendricks, it is Zimmer. Under his former head coach, Kendricks played in 117 games, starting in 113 over an 8-year span in Minnesota. He would record 919 tackles, with 54 tackles for a loss, 15 sacks, 9 interceptions, and 1 defensive touchdown.

More on the 2024 NFL offseason, free agency

The NFL 2024 calendar year begins at 4 p.m. ET on March 13. At that time, contracts running through 2023 officially run out, making those players free agents. Prior to the beginning of free agency, teams will have a chance to designate one franchise or transition tag player, starting on Feb. 20 at 4 p.m. ET and ending on March 5. Beginning March 11 through March 13 teams can enter into a legal negotiation with players who are set to become unrestricted free agents.

In addition to NFL free agency, the new year also marks the beginning of all trades being made official by the league office. April 19 marks the deadline to sign restricted free agents to offer sheets. On April 24, the deadline for teams to match restricted free agent offers sheets hits. Following the restricted free agent deadline comes the 2024 NFL Draft, which runs from April 25-27.

More on restricted, exclusive rights free agents

Players with only three years of accredited NFL experience become restricted free agents. Their original team will have the option to apply first-round, second-round, original-round, and right-of-fight-of-first-refusal tenders on players at escalating price tags. The higher the round, the more expensive the tender amount; however, if a separate team does offer a contract and the original team does not match, that round’s pick will be conveyed from the new team to the original team. Right of first refusal only gives a team the option to match or not. If they don’t match, they get nothing in return. An original-round tender would send a draft pick from whatever round the player was drafted back to the original team if they chose not to match. The original team will have five days to match once a player signs an offer sheet from a new team.