The Dallas Cowboys have prioritized protection this offseason, and extra particularly, it appears, the security place.

Former Atlanta Falcons security Damontae Kazee is one in every of three free agent securities Dallas has signed this offseason and he already is aware of the Cowboys defensive teaching workers fairly properly – however we’ll get to that later.

Listed here are 5 issues to find out about Kazee:

The fundamentals

Final identify: Damontae kazee Age: 27

Peak: 5-11 Lester: 174 Place: S

Of: San Bernardino, California

Earlier groups: Atlanta falcons

The varsity: San Diego State

Conferences

Kazee was taken within the fifth spherical (149th general) by the Atlanta Falcons within the 2017 NFL Draft, Falcons head coach on the time was none apart from new Dallas defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. Cowboys secondary coach and passing play coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. was additionally his coach in 2020.

The Cowboys additionally signed former Kazee teammate, former Falcons security Keanu Neal, who spent his total profession underneath Quinn earlier than his dismissal and final 12 months with Whitt.

So though the Cowboys will study a complete new protection for the second straight season, Quinn can have at the very least two gamers already accustomed to his system.

Ball hawk

It is no secret that the Cowboys have struggled to create any turnovers for a very long time. In direction of the top of final season, the protection started to reverse that development and the workforce completed the 12 months seventh in takeaways with 23 (10 steals and 13 fumbles).

The lack to create any turnovers, particularly highschool interceptions by securities, is maybe the primary cause for the long-standing fantasy Cowboys followers have had of bringing Earl Thomas to Dallas.

Kazee won’t be Thomas, however he is fairly good at creating take out meals. In 2018 he was tied for the league lead with seven interceptions, in 2019 he added 3 extra. His ten interceptions in these two seasons have been one steal lower than the All-Facet Cowboys general. mixed throughout this era.

Damage considerations

It definitely can’t be ignored that Kazee tore his Achilles tendon in week 4 of the 2020 season.

Nonetheless, the Cowboys did not blindly signal with Kazee merely due to his pre-existing relationship with two of their coaches. Previous to his signing, Kazee was one in every of three safety corporations that visited The Star in Frisco. The Cowboys used the go to to permit medics to find out if Kazee had recovered sufficiently. Since studying this, they will need to have felt assured sufficient in his restoration to supply him a contract.

Kazee completed the 2020 season with 20 tackles and 1 compelled fumble.

All in regards to the household

Previous to his late season harm final 12 months, Kazee was a rising star for the Falcons. As his rookie contract expired, if he might have prevented harm and posted comparable numbers, there was an excellent likelihood {that a} very good second contract had come to him – both from Atlanta or one other workforce.

After all, that wasn’t the case, and consequently Kazee acquired a one-year “show it” contract from Dallas. If and when that huge deal comes up, we’re certain Kazee’s plans keep the identical: purchase his mother and father a home.

Kazee is the third oldest of 4 boys and desires to repay them for the whole lot they sacrificed for his or her sons.

“I am a giant household man,” Kazee advised Kelsey Conway of the Atlanta Falcons in 2020. “It is time for them to sit down again and chill out, they have been working their butt since I used to be youthful paying for me and my brothers. It is time for them to sit down down and revel in it. “

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