Troubleshooting the Cowboys defensive issues and how you can get higher

How the Cowboys can get higher on a protection that was already actually good.

• By
  
  Dan-Rogers
  
• on February 13, 2023 12:00 pm

It wasn’t that way back when the protection of the Dallas Cowboys was an enormous legal responsibility for this group. From 2010 to 2015, the Cowboys’ protection by no means completed inside the highest 15 for the fewest factors allowed. Issues bought higher in 2016 however took a flip for the more serious when Mike Nolan’s protection allowed a franchise-worst 473 factors in 2020. Evidently, Nolan’s providers had been not required.

The addition of Dan Quinn has this protection singing an entire different tune because the Cowboys have completed within the high seven in factors allowed in every of the previous two seasons. And with Quinn again in Dallas for an additional season, there are causes to imagine this group will as soon as once more be a robust unit. However, earlier than we transfer ahead, how will we really feel about what we noticed this previous season? What areas of the protection look sharp and what areas want somewhat touch-up? Let’s run by way of every place group and establish doable weaknesses and the place extra assistance is required.

On final week’s episode of The Star Seminar, Rabblerousr and I broke down the protection and decided how a lot work is required this offseason for them to be a robust unit.

DEFENSIVE END

The Cowboys’ defensive finish began out as an space of concern after the entrance workplace dilly-dallied and didn’t re-sign Randy Gregory. Surprisingly, this group packed fairly a punch this season. A cap-friendlier DeMarcus Lawrence graded out with the perfect run-stopping win price. His companion over on the opposite finish, Micah Parsons, had the best pass-rushing win price. And the depth behind them consisted of returning veteran Dorance Armstrong, free agent signing Dante Fowler, and rookie Sam Williams. The Cowboys completed the season third in sacks (54) and no group had a better pass-rush win price.

As nice as they had been general, they struggled down the stretch. After recording at the very least 4 sacks in seven of their first ten video games final 12 months, they by no means bought greater than three sacks in any of their last seven video games. They even had a few video games with no sacks. We might see that Parsons began to put on down because the season progressed.

What’s subsequent for this group? Apart from Fowler who was on a one-year rental, the group will have the ability to maintain the band collectively. Search for them to do their annual low-cost veteran “as soon as considered nice” signing to bundle with an assortment of already good cross rushers. Having a very good rotation will do wonders to permit Parsons to remain recent and which will come within the type of giving Williams extra reps in 12 months two.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

It was a bizarre 12 months for the Cowboys’ defensive tackles as we noticed a few promising guys fade. Trysten Hill was launched and Neville Gallimore was a wholesome scratch at occasions this season. As an alternative, the group relied on second-year participant Osa Odighizuwa to get many of the 3-tech reps with Quinton Bohanna and Carlos Watkins dealing with the duties on the nostril place. In late October, the group signed Johnathan Hankins so as to add some bulk within the center.

The place there have been some disappointments from this group, notably Gallimore, this unit truly held up fairly nicely. The Hankins addition was very useful as his worth within the operating sport was seen. The most important setback from this unit was the untimely launch of rookie John Ridgeway who was instantly picked up by Washington the place he had a stable rookie season.

With no Ridgeway and the veterans Hankins and Watkins coming into free company, this leaves a gap on the nostril spot. Dallas has by no means been one to throw any significant assets on the place, however discovering a high quality 330+ run-stopping bruiser would assist this unit.

LINEBACKER

The group re-upped on Leighton Vander Esch final season and boy did he ship as he had the best tackles/sport common on the group. Additionally they bought the added bonus of rookie Damone Clark stepping on the sector sooner than anticipated and delivering 47 tackles throughout 10 video games of motion. Free agent Anthony Barr was a stable filler beginning 10 video games for Dallas, however his play was moderately blah. Luke Gifford and Jabril Cox hardly noticed reps on protection as they had been each relegated to particular groups.

It will be good to get Vander Esch again; nonetheless, his worth shall be somewhat steeper than the peanuts he performed for final season. Clark’s skillset has followers excited for what 12 months two might carry, however the Cowboys are going to want to exit and get some extra assist, particularly because the once-promising Cox has not lived as much as expectations.

CORNERBACK

The protection was lucky in 2021 when all three of their beginning cornerbacks Trevon Diggs, Anthony Brown, and Jourdan Lewis all stayed wholesome. That was not the case this previous season as Brown and Lewis each had season-ending accidents. The group bought a shock with rookie DaRon Bland who recorded a team-leading 5 interceptions however struggled to search out others who might deal with the opposite exterior nook spot reverse Diggs. Second-year gamers Kelvin Joseph and Nahshon Wright every bought probabilities, however that didn’t final lengthy. The Cowboys ultimately referred to as upon veteran signings Treyvon Mullen and Xavier Rhodes, however that wasn’t any higher.

Diggs and Bland will return to make up two-thirds of the CB group, and Lewis remains to be below contract for an additional 12 months. Except Joseph or Wright can take a step ahead the group will nonetheless want to search out one other piece on the surface. This may very well be a place the Cowboys look to handle early within the upcoming draft.

SAFETY

The entrance workplace labored its magic when it threw darts at Jayron Kearse, Malik Hooker, and Damontae Kazee as these three newcomers logged essentially the most snaps on the security place in 2021. The Cowboys re-upped on each Kearse and Hooker by signing them each to two-year offers they usually every saved taking part in nicely this previous season. Donovan Wilson had the perfect 12 months of his younger profession making splash play after splash play, and main the group in tackles. And second-year hybrid defensive again Israel Mukuamu noticed an enormous uptick in taking part in time as he logged defensive snaps in 15 video games this previous season.

There’s an opportunity Wilson finds a much bigger bag of cash from another group in free company, however the group remains to be in okay form. Kids Markquese Bell and Tyler Coyle are choices, however they’ll want to point out enchancment to get on the sector. The group might once more search for a low-cost veteran field security in free company so as to add depth. Regardless, security stays a moderately stable group for the upcoming season due to the Kearse/Hooker combo; nonetheless, each will grow to be unrestricted free brokers in 2024.

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