NFL Rumors: Benson Mayowa Leaving Oakland Raiders For Dallas Cowboys

NFL rumors have been swirling around Benson Mayowa these past few days. That’s because the Dallas Cowboys have expressed interest in signing the defensive end, according to ESPN. Mayowa has spent the past two seasons with the Oakland Raiders and is currently a free agent. Even though the Raiders are currently building something special, Mayowa is interested in the bigger role and more playing time that the Cowboys can give him.

Despite playing for one of the most popular teams in the NFL, Benson Mayowa isn’t all that known to football fans. It’s hard to get attention when you’re playing behind the likes of Khalil Mack and Aldon Smith, two of the top pass rushers in the entire National Football League. Since he already has a Super Bowl ring during his time with the Seattle Seahawks, Moyowa is said to be more interested in making a name for himself with more playing time.

Fortunately for him, the Dallas Cowboys have some playing time available at defensive end. Randy Gregory has been suspended by the NFL because he has repeatedly failed drug tests. He will miss the first four games of the regular season for the Cowboys. Since there’s no telling if Gregory can finally beat his marijuana habit, that means that there might be even more snaps available because the National Football League is going to keep increasing the suspension length.

When asked about the fate of Greg Hardy with the Dallas Cowboys, head coach Jason Garrett basically gave a cold response that let everyone know that the talented but troubled defensive end will need to find a new home in the NFL. Despite all of the trouble that he causes, there are actually a couple of National Football League teams reportedly interested in signing Hardy in free agency, with some of them even being willing to offer a multiple year contract.

Demarcus Lawrence showed signs of reaching his potential for the Dallas Cowboys last season. Unfortunately for everyone involved, the young defensive end needed surgery on his back in January. While it’s not impossible for Lawrence to recover completely, NFL teams know that back injuries can be devastating. If Demarcus has been affected by the injury, then there’s going to be plenty of minutes available for Benson Mayowa.

The signing of Benson Mayowa isn’t likely going to resolve all of the issues at defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys. The team is fully aware that he was a third string player for the Oakland Raiders. They just see potential in Mayowa and hope that he can become part of the rotation. At just 25 years of age, Benson is a slight upgrade over the college players that are going to be selected during the upcoming NFL Draft because he already has some experience in the league.

Earlier in the week, the Dallas Cowboys were really hoping to sign Chris Long in free agency. The former Los Angeles Rams defensive end needed a new home in the NFL after being released by the franchise. Long would have been an excellent short-term solution for the Cowboys, and he also could have functioned as a mentor for guys like Randy Gregory, Demarcus Lawrence, and whichever defensive linemen that Dallas chooses in the upcoming NFL Draft.

Benson Mayowa isn’t going to stimulate and excite the Dallas Cowboys fanbase. It’s much like how the fans were not excited when the Cowboys signed Cedric Thorton away from the Philadelphia Eagles last week. They’re used to much bigger signings. Mayowa, however, is one of those signings that might end up silently paying off because he can bring much needed depth.

[Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images]