Veteran defensive end Marcus Spears appears close to re-signing with the Cowboys, as indications are he has reached a five-year agreement with the team.
The deal is worth a reported $19.2 million.
Spears and other unrestricted free agents, including Doug Free and Kyle Kosier, can sign contracts beginning at 5 p.m. Friday. The players would not be eligible to practice with the team until at least Aug. 4, however.
On Friday afternoon, Spears himself announced he would be returning to the Cowboys, who picked him in the first round in 2005.
"I'm home D town," he tweeted shortly after 3 p.m. local time. "(T)hanks for all the fans who wanted me to stay and the ones who didn't!! God always has a plan and he knew this was home!"
The Cowboys had three unrestricted free agents at defensive end, including former undrafted free agent Stephen Bowen, who agreed to terms with the Washington Redskins on Thursday. Five-year vet Jason Hatcher remains unsigned.
Spears has started 78 games for the Cowboys over six seasons. Playing on a one-year contract as a restricted free agent in 2010, he suffered a calf muscle injury midway through the year and was placed on injured reserve.
