The Cowboys announced the signing of former Panthers’ defensive tackle Gerald McCoy Tuesday night. The three year deal is reportedly worth up to $20.25 million, a source told ESPN’s Todd Archer. The acquisition is pending a physical.

The 32-year-old spent 2019 in Carolina after signing a one-year deal worth $10.25 million in the off-season following his first nine seasons in Tampa Bay. McCoy finished the year with 5 sacks, 37 total tackles, and 42 pressures in 16 starts.

The addition came shortly after the Cowboys lost defensive tackle Maliek Collins to the Raiders in free agency. Collins is just 24 and is coming off one of his best seasons as a pro consisting of 4 sacks, 20 total tackles and 48 pressures. McCoy may be older but he is an upgrade over Collins when it comes to stopping the run.

Dallas also lost two other players to the Raiders in free agency including starting safety Jeff Heath and franchise stalwart tight end Jason Witten. The Cowboys were able to bring back veteran linebacker Sean Lee for a one-year deal worth $4.5 million, but lost cornerback Byron Jones to a record five-year deal with the Dolphins worth up to $82 million making him the highest paid cornerback in the league.

Gerald McCoy Stats

McCoy was originally drafted as the No. 3 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft and emerged as a contributor in his rookie season starting 13 games. In 139 career games, McCoy has totaled 59.5 sacks and 334 combined tackles through ten seasons. Dallas hopes he can fill the void left by Collins who the team really wanted back, according to reports.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton was on a 10-hour flight back from Paris this week when he wanted a change in seats. Oddly enough, he was flying coach, and the former Auburn QB asked a man if he could have his seat for $1,500, which the man declined.

Andy Slater of The Hurricane 640 reported that Newton missed his direct flight into Charlotte, and the multi-million dollar athlete was flying in coach instead of business or first-class.

SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2019- TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Newton, known for his excessive way of dressing during post-game press conferences, was in France for a fashion week in Paris.

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The 6-foot-5 quarterback signed a $103 million contract in 2015 for five years, and lacked an excessive amount of leg room for his 10-hour flight back to his Panther state. Former Philadelphia Eagle DE Chris Long, now retired, decided to chip in on the social media fun surrounding Newton and the $1,500 offer. Long was riding Amtrak in a post, which they saw and commented back.

Waiting for Newton back home is Carolina’s star running back Christian McCaffery, along with former Tampa Bay Buccaneer defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, who recently signed a contract with the Panthers, providing much-needed skill in the trenches up front. He signed a one-year deal, not knowing what’s in store for him after this upcoming season.

“Carolina is very resilient, they’re known for being resilient. They have a history of it. Coach Rivera is a proven guy, and Cam’s a star,” said McCoy, according to Cleveland.com.

With the Panthers sure to improve off their lackluster 7-9 season last year, the NFC South is filled with challenging teams. The New Orleans Saints have a chip on their shoulder after losing in the NFC Championship against the Los Angeles Rams, and have no sign of slowing down while Drew Brees is still in a Saints uniform. While Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons‘ offense remains one of the most threatening lineups with Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley and Mohamed Sanu as weapons in a thick Falcon arsenal.

The former Heisman Trophy winner is still seeking his first Super Bowl win. In 2015, Newton led his Panther team to a 15-1 season before losing in the Super Bowl against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. Last season, Newton was battling multiple injuries and the team finished 16th in the league in passing yards. With an improved and developed team this time around, Newton will be looking to bring back that 2015 form.