Cowboys sign veteran free agent defensive lineman

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - DECEMBER 28: Jonathan Bullard #98 of the New Orleans Saints talks with Line Judge Julian Mapp during a game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on December 28, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. The Saints defeated the Titans 34-26. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Who said free agency was over? The Dallas Cowboys broke their silence on Saturday with the signing of veteran defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard. Entering his 11th season, Bullard projects as a 3-4 DE in the Cowboys’ new scheme under Christian Parker.

Most recently with the Saints, Bullard has been around the NFC with the Vikings, Falcons, Seahawks, and Cardinals in past career stops. He started his NFL journey in 2016 with the Bears, who drafted him in the third round. Bullard has been a versatile DE for the last decade, playing DE in both 3-4 and 4-3 schemes. He was mostly a backup early on, but has started 44 games over the last four years: six in New Orleans and 38 during his three-year run in Minnesota.

The #Cowboys are signing veteran DL Jonathan Bullard, per his agent Jon Perzley of @SPORTSTARSNYC.

Bullard is signing a one-year, $2.5M max deal on the day of his late grandmother Joyce’s birthday, which is fitting because he’s said she was a “hollering at the TV” Cowboys fan. pic.twitter.com/1F27t1dDHq

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 28, 2026

Interestingly, Bullard’s first NFL job in Chicago came when Vic Fangio was their defensive coordinator from 2016-2018. While Parker was not part of Fangio’s staff back then, we know the huge influence that Fangio has had on Parker’s career. Depending on how much that will trickle into the defensive line, perhaps this move was to bring in someone who could pick up the scheme quickly.

Bullard feels like a replacement for Solomon Thomas in Dallas’ DL room. After one year with him as a depth piece and veteran leader, the Cowboys moved Thomas to the Titans for a seventh-round pick earlier this month, reuniting him with his former coaches Robert Saleh and Aaron Whitecotton.