J.J.

Wilcox

Wilcox missed the entire 2019 season after tearing his ACL last July. After four years with the Cowboys, Wilcox has bounced around the league since 2017.

It is a blow for a secondary which has both Keanu Neal (knee) and Ricardo Allen (Achilles’) returning from serious injuries. Wilcox was expected to be the No. 3 option behind that pair, but now the Falcons will have to move on to another option. Damontae Kazee, who filled it at safety last season, could be an option for the No. 3 job, but he is expected to handle the slot corner role this year.

Wilcox laced up for five games with the Jets last season before being outright released in October. He eventually signed on with the Colts, notching six tackles in Indy’s AFC Divisional Round loss to the Chiefs. He joins Chris Cooper and Afolabi Laguda as recent additions to Atlanta’s safety room.

Wilcox has played in five games and made three tackles for the Jets this season. The safety will likely contribute on special teams in Indianapolis.

A previous report had Wilcox competing to start as a rookie, but winning a first-string job would be stunning. “Light years. Light years,” Henderson said. “You have that coupled with the fact that the league he played in. He jumped into this league with only one year at the job.” Wilcox was a defensive back for just one year at Georgia Southern. He’s another Cowboys project.

A running back and receiver for his first three years at small-school Georgia Southern, Wilcox has just one year of experience on defense. There was some initial thought he could compete for a starting job, but DBs coach Jerome Henderson has called him “light years” away from being an NFL contributor. In other words, it was another questionable pick by owner/GM Jerry Jones, and Wilcox will likely focus on special teams as a rookie.

If the season started today, Barry Church, who tore his right Achilles’ in September, and Matt Johnson, who missed all of last season because of hamstring injuries, would be the starters. Even if Wilcox doesn’t earn the job in camp, the injury histories of Johnson and Church bode well for Wilcox’s chances of cracking the starting lineup at some point in the 2013 season.

The Cowboys could have solidified their hole at safety in the first round, but reached for C Travis Frederick instead of Matt Elam. Now they settle for Wilcox, a 6-foot, 213-pounder that played tailback and slot receiver his first three seasons at Georgia Southern before converting to strong safety as a senior and intercepting two passes as a 13-game starter. He ran 4.57 at the Combine with a 35-inch vertical and 10-foot-4 broad jump. Described as a “215-pound safety with corner feet” by NFL Network’s Mike Mayock, Wilcox figures to open his career on special teams but could grow into a starter.

Will Allen played all 132 snaps at free safety the first two weeks. According to Pro Football Focus, he’s allowed seven catches for 163 yards and two touchdowns in his coverage. Wilcox is extremely raw and has played just six snaps this season. He can’t be any worse than Allen. Jared Cook could be in for a monster day over the deep middle. Cook is our No. 6 tight end this week.

Wilcox suffered a bruised thigh playing against the Redskins on Thanksgiving. He’s been filling in at strong safety, though he may not be needed this week with Barry Church set to return from a broken forearm. Wilcox holds PFF’s 23rd-highest safety grade among 87 qualifiers this year.