Cowboys hope investment in $13M former first-round pick gives them depth on edge

The Dallas Cowboys spent their 2025 offseason, at least the first phase of it, collecting former high-pedigree picks. One of those acquisitions was Payton Turner, a former first-round pick of the New Orleans Saints who went No. 28 overall during the 2021 draft. The Cowboys, of course, walked away from that year's first round with LB Micah Parsons. Turner was, at the time, the third pure pass rusher taken, behind Jaelen Phillips who went to Miami at NO. 18 and Kwity Paye who went to Indianapolis three picks later.

Turner has yet to live up to those lofty expectations, as injuries have been the storyline of his NFL career thus far. Appearing in just 31 games across his four seasons in the league, Turner has yet to line up as a starter. It's a far cry from the prospect he was coming out of a four-year run with the University of Houston.

Rundown

Position: Defensive End

Age: 26

Height: 6-foot-6

Weight: 270 pounds

Hometown: Houston, TX

High School: Weston (Houston)

College: University of Houston (Highlight Video)

Draft: 2021, First-round pick No. 28

Acquired: 2025 Free Agency

Contract: One-year deal (2025), $2.5 million includes signing bonus of $600,000

2025 Base Salary: $1.4 million (guaranteed) | $500,000 in per-game roster bonuses

Career Earnings: $13.1 million (per Over The Cap)

Profile

Will a return to the state of Texas and a chance to work as a rotational player behind Parsons and the Cowboys' collection of talent allow Turner to progress after his first fully healthy campaign? Turner will enter the 2025 training camp as the likely sixth edge rusher in the Cowboys' depth chart. The Cowboys also signed former No. 3 overall pick Dante Fowler as a free agent, and he's coming off a 10-sack season in his one year with Washington.

Dallas has also drafted defensive ends with three of their last four second round picks: Sam Williams (2022), Marshawn Kneeland (2024), Donovan Ezeiruaku (2025). To further cloud Turner's chances, the Cowboys also signed Solomon Thomas this offseason, a hybrid edge and interior defender who has history with new DL coach Aaron Whitecotton. In other words, it's going to be difficult for Turner to make the club.

Turner has five career sacks, two of those coming last season in 334 defensive snaps for the Saints. Turner also knocked down four passes and forced two fumbles on his way to 30 tackles on the season.

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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Dallas Cowboys player profile: No. 98 DE Payton Turner