The Dallas Cowboys sealed the deal on the last of the 2024 draftees this week, inking rookie Marshawn Kneeland to a four-year deal on Tuesday. Kneeland’s was the final signature the team needed after mandatory minicamp wrapped up last week. The other seven rookies signed their deals before rookie minicamp last month.
Per Spotrac, Kneeland is expected to earn $6.79 million over his first four seasons, or just shy of $1.7 million per year. His deal comes with a signing bonus estimated at $1.75 million.
Adding to the defense line was a high priority for Dallas in the 2024 NFL Draft, which is why they snagged Kneeland out of Western Michigan in the second round. They snapped him up at No. 56 overall.
Kneeland had a career-high 57 tackles during the 2023 season at WMU along with 7.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. In four seasons, he had 28 tackles for loss and 13 sacks. He also blocked a kick as a redshirt sophomore.
Mike McCarthy praises rookie class as best one yet
The Dallas Cowboys loved their 2024 class of rookies on paper after picking them up in the draft in April, but now, they’re loving them on the field as well. Head coach Mike McCarthy went into depth about the class of eight draftees and 12 undrafted rookies on the team on Tuesday, which was the first day of mandatory minicamp.
“You’re looking for that first impression and they’ve definitely established that,” McCarthy said. “They’re in here on the weekends, doing the extra work. No one’s faded away. That’s what you’re looking for. I feel really good about the learning and the ability to communicate. They’ve been engaged very well and done a really good job. We’ll challenge them this week. We haven’t had a class at this point that’s better than this class, that’s for sure.”
Two sure contributors in year one for Dallas are first-rounder Tyler Guyton and third-round pick Cooper Beebe. While Guyton is working on filling the shoes of veteran Tyron Smith, who is now with the Jets, Beebe is vying for a starting spot as well but at center, which he’s never played in a game before. Despite those great challenges, McCarthy sees both stepping up to the plate already.
“These guys are on point,” he said. “You look for the mental part of it and they’ve picked it up really good.”
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