Dante Fowler Jr., now entering his second stint with the Dallas Cowboys, may prove pivotal to revitalizing the team’s defense in 2025. Despite not starting a single game during his previous two seasons with Dallas in 2022 and 2023, Fowler exceeded expectations by recording 10.0 sacks across 34 straight regular season appearances — all while earning just $6 million total.
After signing a one-year, $3.25 million deal with the Washington Commanders in 2024, Fowler led the team with 10.5 sacks and helped power their run to the NFC Championship Game. Now back in Dallas on a one-year, $6 million contract, he’s expected to be a full-time starter — a first for him with the Cowboys.
His presence could be crucial in preventing opposing offenses from concentrating solely on containing All-Pro Micah Parsons. Notably, Parsons has never had a teammate with double-digit sacks during his four-year NFL career. Fowler’s production may be what the Cowboys need to rebound from their disappointing 7-10 finish in 2024, following three consecutive 12-5 seasons — two of which included Fowler.
Before free agency, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox highlighted Fowler as a top under-the-radar option, calling him a “budget sack artist” who should have been at the top of teams’ wish lists after posting 10.5 sacks and 20 quarterback pressures last season.
The Commanders may regret letting Fowler walk, especially after choosing not to draft an edge rusher with any of their five 2025 draft picks. Barstool Sports’ PFT Commenter voiced confusion over that decision, emphasizing the team’s lack of depth at the position.
Watching Fowler excel with a division rival could be particularly painful for Commanders head coach Dan Quinn and GM Adam Peters. Fowler, 30, had been a productive rotational piece under Quinn in Washington. As Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder noted last November, re-signing him before free agency would have been a smart move.
Fowler’s recent success marks a resurgence in his career. Drafted No. 3 overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2015, his rookie season was derailed by an ACL tear. His tenure with the Jaguars was marred by controversy, including being improperly fined $700,000 for skipping voluntary rehab sessions — a misstep that contributed to executive Tom Coughlin’s dismissal.
Traded to the Rams in 2018, Fowler earned a one-year, $12 million deal in 2019, then signed a three-year, $45 million contract with Atlanta in 2020. By the end of the 2025 season, he’s projected to reach around $74 million in career earnings — a remarkable turnaround for a player once seen as a bust.
