The Dallas Cowboys filled another roster hole Wednesday with the addition of free-agent offensive lineman Cameron Erving the team announced.
Terms were not announced but it's a one-year deal, according to a source.
The Cowboys had a need for a veteran backup offensive tackle after losing Cameron Fleming, who held the role in 2018 and '19, earlier in the offseason to the New York Giants. The Cowboys declined to pick up Fleming's $4 million option for 2020, allowing him to become a free agent. The Kansas City Chiefs similarly did not pick up Erving's 2020 option, and he became a free agent.
Left tackle Tyron Smith has missed three games in each of the last four seasons, while right tackle La'el Collins missed one game last season.
Erving, a first-round pick of the Cleveland Browns in 2015, has started 42 of 69 games in his career, including eight last season at left tackle with Kansas City. He was traded to the Chiefs in 2017. Against the Cowboys in 2016 while with the Browns, Erving was ejected after three plays after he got into a fight with defensive end David Irving.
He is the ninth free agent the Cowboys have signed this offseason, joining Gerald McCoy, Dontari Poe, Daryl Worley, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Maurice Canady, Blake Bell, Greg Zuerlein and Andy Dalton.
Including defensive ends Aldon Smith and Randy Gregory, who could be reinstated by the NFL from suspension, and center Travis Frederick, who has retired, the Cowboys have 89 players under contract. The Cowboys will likely place Frederick on the reserve/retired list in June to spread the remaining salary-cap hit of his contract over two years.
