Anthony Barr, Dallas Cowboys agree to one-year deal
The Dallas Cowboys have reached a one-year deal with free agent linebacker Anthony Barr, the team said Wednesday.
Barr, a four-time Pro Bowl selection, had a career-high three interceptions to go along with 2.5 sacks and 72 tackles last season, the latter of which was his third-highest output in his eight seasons with the Minnesota Vikings,
The 30-year-old linebacker appeared in 11 games after undergoing a procedure on his right knee that forced him to miss the first four games of the 2021 season.
He reworked his contract last March to allow himself to hit free agency after the 2021 season. After missing the final 14 games of 2020 upon tearing his pectoral muscle against Indianapolis, the linebacker's salary and bonuses were cut from $12.9 million to $10 million with a fully guaranteed base salary of $9.4 million.
The four-time Pro Bowl selection wore the green dot for the majority of his time in Minnesota and played a critical role in calling defensive plays on the field.
The former UCLA linebacker was former Vikings coach Mike Zimmer's first draft pick in 2014 (ninth overall). Barr, a 3-4 outside linebacker in college, transitioned to a non-traditional off-ball role in Zimmer's 4-3 scheme where he was used strategically on blitzes designed around his skillset. According to Pro Football Focus, Barr was ranked as the 12th best pass rusher at his position and 14th in coverage in 2021.
The last time Barr hit free agency in 2019, the linebacker verbally agreed to a deal with the New York Jets that would have paid him $15 million per season for five years but returned to the Vikings less than 24 hours later to sign for far less money.
He has 495 tackles, 17.5 sacks, 8 forced fumbles and 5 interceptions in eight seasons.
ESPN's Courtney Cronin contributed to this report.
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