It’s not exactly getting the band back together, but the Dallas Cowboys did chart some familiar waters this past offseason. In looking to shore up their edge rush rotation, the club brought back a former UDFA who had spent his first two sasons with the organization. Defensive end Tyrus Wheat spent last season on the Detroit Lions roster, but makes his way back to Texas under new defensive coordinator Christian Parker.
Rundown
Position: Defensive End
Age: 27
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 260 pounds
Hometown: Amite, LA
High School: Amite
College: Mississippi State (Highlight Video)
Draft: 2023 UDFA
Acquired: 2026 Free Agency
2026 Contract: One-year deal (2026), $1.245 million
Career Earnings: $2.9 million (per Over The Cap)
Profile
Wheat saw 165 defensive snaps in 2024, a five-time increase from the limited action he saw as a rookie and indicative of the hard work he did to try and be a contributor. However, that didn’t result in him earning a spot under Matt Eberflus in 2025, making his way to Detroit after he failed to land a job with the Cowboys.
In Detroit, he saw action in 15 games, notching 1.5 sacks along with a pass defense and a forced fumble in very limited action (86 snaps). His work earned him an 80.5 pass-rush grade and the Cowboys hope to parlay that into an effective rotational player during training camp. He works behind Donovan Ezeiruaku, Rashan Gary, first-round pick Malachi Lawrence and veteran James Houston.
He’ll compete with players like Sam Williams and Marist Liufau to be the fifth rotational edge rusher in Parker’s new-look, 3-4 defense.
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys UDFA comes home after stint with Lions to find role in new D
Reporting by K.D. Drummond, Cowboys Wire / Cowboys Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By K.D. Drummond, Cowboys Wire | USA TODAY Network
