The Dallas Cowboys made sure to lock up one of their soon-to-be free agents prior to the start of the regular season Sunday night. According to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport, the Cowboys have signed defensive end Tyrone Crawford to a five-year, $45 million contract.
If the Cowboys were unable to find a way to re-sign Crawford, it's more than likely the team would have had to place the franchise tag on him. The fourth-year player from Boise State played extremely well in his first season as a starter for the Cowboys last season, recording 35 tackles, three sacks and a forced fumble.
More than just the simple stats, Crawford was among the best players at his position from an all-around pass-rush standpoint. In fact, Pro Football Focus graded him out as the 17th-best 4-3 defensive lineman in the NFL.
By getting the former third-round pick to agree to an extension, Dallas will maintain a ton of flexibility once the 2015 season draws to a conclusion. That's a big deal with the likes of Greg Hardy and Rolando McClain set to become free agents in March.