'The Example': Jayron Kearse Change as New Dallas Cowboys Leader

“Now it’s established that I’m a leader and guys look at me to lead.'' - Kearse

FRISCO - A year ago, as a newcomer to the Dallas Cowboys, Jayron Kearse immediately "stood out.''

But that's only because he's a gigantic safety at 6-4. Otherwise? He was a journeyman newcomer with a one-year, vet-minimum deal.

Times have changed.

“Around this time last year, I was coming in to compete, just trying to get my feet wet, trying to earn my way here,'' Kearse said this week at OTAs. “Now it’s established that I’m a leader and guys look at me to lead.''

When the Cowboys signed the 28-year-old who'd been a seventh-round pick, they thought they were getting a special-teams helper; that's mostly what he'd done in his stops in Minnesota and Detroit. So they were as pleasantly surprised as anyone that not only did Kearse adapt quickly and nicely into a safety-hybrid role for coordinator Dan Quinn's defense ...

He also stepped to the head of the class in helping teammates catch on.

Kearse had 15 starts for Dallas last year, more than he'd totaled in his previous five NFL seasons combined. He is part of the team's play-calling duties on defense, and he has a two-year contract that offers some security. To wit:

*Two years and $10 million total.

*$5 million guaranteed.

*$3.5 mil signing bonus.

*Annual salaries of $1.5M (guaranteed) and $4 million.

*Roster bonuses of up to $500,000 and up to $500,000 in annual incentives for interceptions.

What is Dallas getting for its money? As Kearse recently tweeted:

"Anything short of me being the best safety in the league next year ain’t gone cut it.''

Kearse in 2021 collected 100 tackles, and had his first multi-interception season, his career first sack and his first career fumble recovery. He cites himself as "the example,'' and it is true in more ways that one as he really is sort of the blueprint for how a player can make himself into a star-level guy.

And how he can make himself into a leader.

“I put myself in that position, and it’s something that I love doing,” Kearse said. “I love being the guy that everybody looks at, like, ‘Okay, he’s doing this, so we’ve got to that.’ Being the example. I know I can do it, so if you’re following me, then the sky’s the limit.”

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