FRISCO, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys were busy Sunday trying to improve their defense.
The team acquired outside linebacker Jayrone Elliott in a trade with the Green Bay Packers for a conditional seventh-round pick in 2018 and were awarded defensive tackle Brian Price off waivers from the Packers. And, perhaps most surprisingly, they cut defensive tackle Cedric Thornton, their biggest free-agent signing in 2016.
Thornton, who signed a four-year, $17 million deal that included $9 million guaranteed, never really fit what the Cowboys were seeking. He was unable to beat out Terrell McClain for the starting spot a year ago; this year he was beaten out by Stephen Paea. He was slowed in training camp by a hamstring strain.
He played in 13 games a year ago and was credited by the coaches with 18 tackles, 1.5 sacks, three tackles for loss, nine quarterback pressures, a pass deflection, forced fumble and fumble recovery.
His $3 million base salary is guaranteed; however, there is offset language in the deal that would ease some of the Cowboys' burden should he sign with another team.
Elliott, 6-foot-3 and 255 pounds, brings some special-teams help as well as pass rush potential to the Cowboys, even though he has just four sacks in the past two seasons.
The Packers re-signed him to a one-year deal worth $1.6 million that included a $350,000 signing bonus. In 11 games last year, he led the Packers with 13 special-teams tackles and was credited with 13 on defense with one sack. He was slowed by hamstring and hand injuries that caused him to miss the first two playoff games, including the win over Dallas in the divisional round.
To make room for Elliott on the roster, linebacker Mark Nzeocha was released.
Price, who is 6-3 and 318 pounds, is viewed as a run-stopping defensive tackle. He played in just one game last season for the Packers and spent time on the practice squad. The Indianapolis Colts attempted to add him to their active roster last year but he chose to remain on the Green Bay practice squad after the Packers upped his salary.