Malik Hooker makes great first impression with Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys have had an everlasting need at safety since Darren Woodson and Roy Williams were starters in the early 2000s. It’s a position where the team, through their own negligence, has had trouble finding a suitable tandem for about the last 15 years.

With Donovan Wilson’s emergence last season, the Cowboys had themselves one starter and an offseason to find someone to pair with him. Among the safeties already on the roster, Dallas knew veteran Darian Thompson and two-year pro Steven Parker weren’t the answers. On Monday night, during their first practice back in Texas and in front of fans, the Cowboys may have gotten their first glimpse of one in Malik Hooker.

The Cowboys did sign Damontae Kazee, who had a relationship with now defensive coordinator Dan Quinn from his time in Atlanta, and Jayron Kearse, who was added more for special teams purposes. Kazee was a solid addition, he once tied for the NFL lead in interceptions with seven in 2018. At the time Kazee signed, the Cowboys were also interested in another safety, the former Indianapolis Colt, Hooker. However after all three visited during the same weekend, the Cowboys passed on signing Hooker in favor of Kazee and Kearse.

Or so it was believed. Fast forward to July and the organization revisited signing Hooker after meeting with him a second time. The assumption was the Cowboys needed to see Hooker healthier after his torn Achilles. Or perhaps the team got a good look at their safeties early in training camp and knew they needed help. Probably a bit of both.

Either way, Hooker was brought in by Dallas. The hope is that Hooker can return to the form that made him a first-round pick in the 2017 draft. In his first practice with the Cowboys, Hooker made his presence felt.

That was one heck of a first impression by Hooker, who scored on an interception of a pass tipped by rookie Nahshon Wright. For a team that has struggled to create turnovers in recent years, it had to be an eye-opener.

Hooker has the pedigree to be a difference maker for the Cowboys at safety. The team hasn’t had a safety drafted as high as Hooker was since they selected Williams eighth overall in the first round of the 2002 draft. The former Ohio State Buckeye went No. 17 in 2017.

The talent is there with Hooker, it’s the injuries that will always remain as a question mark. In four years with the Colts, Hooker never played a full season and had a high of 14 games played during the 2018 season. Hooker’s played in 36 of a possible 64 games, an indication he struggles to stay on the field.

However, Hooker has been productive when he’s played, picking off seven passes in his first three seasons. That’s a total no Cowboys safety on the roster has accrued, except for Kazee.

The Cowboys are leaving no stone unturned after neglecting the position in the draft. Wilson proved he could play last season and the team brought in two more solid options in Kazee and Hooker. Depth was a concern heading into the summer, but Hooker’s inclusion has strengthened the safety position.

At just 25 years old, Hooker’s best football should still be in front of him. They say one never gets a second chance to make a first impression, so Hooker made sure he made a vital one with the Cowboys.

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