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Who is Malik Hooker and what could he bring to the defense of the

Safety is likely to rank very low on the roster list ordered by available talent at each spot. Management’s lack of interest in improving this area in recent years is undeniable. That passivity seen by not investing resources there, in free agency or through the draft, left very irregular returns. This time, however, the presence of Dan Quinn altered that trend at least in a preliminary way.

A signature that had been speculating since March had its materialization on Tuesday with the confirmation of Malik Hooker as a new member of the Cowboys. The defensive back then joins a large group with much to try to compete for a place in the team. So far the franchise had incorporated Damontae Kazee and Jayron Kearse months ago to complete the secondary defense.

Hooker will initially provide a talented presence capable of impacting the development of a game. Being the 15th overall pick in 2017 speaks to the potential the Colts saw in him. His strength is in the ease he showed to go for the ball every time he had the opportunity. Although at the same time he managed to be quite effective in coverage in his time representing Indianapolis.

But like all newcomers at this stage of preparation, there is a lot of uncertainty. If he were in an ideal situation, a prominent player would not get a team just in July but much earlier. The great inconvenience that slowed down his career were injuries. As with Kazee, his physical condition is what generates so many unknowns.

Problems of that nature haunt him since his arrival in the NFL. In his rookie season, for example, he suffered a torn cruciate ligament after just seven appearances. Although as a rookie he showed why he was a first-round pick by getting three interceptions in that span. His best year was 2018, but the bad streaks reappeared. In total, he added to his medical history a sports hernia, injuries to one shoulder and menisci.

The most recent is why it took so long to convince the staff. In 2020 he entered his last year of contract ready to obtain an onerous extension. However, his season lasted just two games due to a ruptured Achilles tendon. But beyond that you have to take Hooker’s arrival easy for that reason, on paper it looks good.

As a first matter, Dallas was guaranteed to pass the medical tests that a few months ago had not left the Joneses alone. After completing that step, they proceeded to sign it. The other variable that qualifies as good the decision to add him to the team is that he will have a very low contract that will not condition the salary space if they prefer to cut him later.

Speaking exclusively of what he could do on defense is where hope grows. The absence of a free safety with the ability to make plays on the ball was a constant. Although Xavier Woods was a DB with a relatively solid performance, he did not cause a significant impact on the development of a meeting or on opposing offenses.

That could change if Hooker manages to be his best version. Safety would play a vital role in Quinn’s schemes. Whether it’s cover-1 or cover-3, it’s essential to have someone trustworthy to take over the middle third of the court. His range deep in defense allowed him to cover considerable portions of the ground when healthy.

“I think he gives us another excellent player. Bring competition. We feel it will fit very well. I really like the group of safeties. I think we are doing a great job communicating and tracking the ball, making plays on the ball. I felt like last year was a strength for us and we want to play that way as a defense, “explained Mike McCarthy.

What is clear is the relevance that Quinn is having in decision-making. The new defensive coordinator is usually looking for play-makers who affect the game with exchanges of the ball and Hooker could be. The safety had three picks in 2017, two in 2018 and another two in 2019, so it could be a quality jump for the perimeter if it remains in condition.

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