Jalen Thompson

Career StatsB

Year	Team	GP	INT	PD	Tkl
Career		99	9	37	578
2025		15	0	6	95
2024		15	0	3	98
2023		15

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

The Cowboys handed Jalen Thompson a fair market deal that slightly edges toward overpay territory, earning a C CVI that reflects adequate value without being particularly shrewd. At $11M per year, Dallas is paying above-average starter money for what amounts to serviceable starter production from their safety, creating a modest disconnect between compensation and on-field impact. Thompson's three-year commitment aligns well with his career trajectory, as he's entering his prime years where the Cowboys can reasonably expect consistent but unspectacular performance. The $22M in guaranteed money provides Dallas with reasonable protection while giving Thompson meaningful security, though the annual salary places him in the upper-middle tier of NFL safeties despite his more limited production profile. This contract represents solid roster building rather than a splash signing — Thompson won't single-handedly elevate the secondary, but he provides the kind of steady, reliable presence that championship defenses need in their back seven.

Performance Analysis

Jalen Thompson enters his seventh NFL season as one of the more quietly dependable safeties in the league, a former fifth-round pick out of Washington State who has carved out a legitimate starting role through instincts, toughness, and an ability to diagnose plays quickly from the back end of Dallas's defense. Now 27 years old with 99 career games under his belt, Thompson has evolved from a developmental chess piece into a reliable every-down safety — the kind of player coordinators build scheme around rather than scheme to hide. His current B grade reflects a player who is performing solidly above average but hasn't quite recaptured the B+ form he showed in 2023, with a modest dip through 2024's C+ season now showing signs of correction heading into the heart of this campaign. The most compelling number in Thompson's current profile is his tackle rate, clocking in at 6.33 tackles per game against an NFL average of 3.85 — a figure that approaches the elite threshold of 6.81 and speaks to his willingness to be a physical presence near the line of scrimmage and in run support. That kind of production puts him in the same conversation as some of the league's premier box safeties, drawing natural comparisons to players like Budda Baker in terms of willingness to fill gaps and wrap up in space. His pass defense numbers also trend favorably, posting 0.40 pass deflections per game against a league average of 0.30, though there remains a meaningful gap between that mark and the elite threshold of 0.60, suggesting his coverage impact in the back end still has room to sharpen. The trajectory from 2024's C+ to this season's B is encouraging, but Thompson will need to demonstrate more consistent coverage disruption to fully reclaim the form that earned him a B+ just two seasons ago. Looking ahead, Thompson projects as a high-floor, modest-ceiling safety who profiles best in a two-high or single-high hybrid system that maximizes his tackling instincts without overexposing him in man coverage. The next critical evaluation point will be whether he can sustain and build on this bounce-back season into 2026, particularly as the Cowboys assess their long-term investment at the position. If he can nudge that pass deflection rate toward the elite range while maintaining his near-elite tackle production, a return to B+ territory — and a strong case for a contract extension — is well within reach.

Current Sentiment

Jalen Thompson arrives in Dallas as a proven, experienced safety whose seven-year career and $11 million annual contract signal genuine organizational investment rather than a depth signing. Media coverage surrounding his Cowboys debut has been notably positive, with Thompson projecting confidence in his ability to handle multiple responsibilities within the secondary and expressing enthusiasm about the team's defensive personnel. The tone of his public-facing comments — emphasizing versatility and collective readiness — has resonated well with a Cowboys fanbase hungry for defensive improvement heading into 2026. While Thompson has not accumulated the individual accolades of a Pro Bowl-caliber player, his steady production, including nine career interceptions and 37 passes defended, positions him as a reliable and respected contributor at the professional level. Overall, fan and media perception is cautiously optimistic, viewing Thompson as a smart, low-risk addition who could quietly become one of the more impactful offseason moves in Dallas's defensive rebuild.