As a fan there isn’t many things more exciting than seeing a defensive linemen fire off the ball, swim
move or rip past an offensive linemen and drill the quarterback. If you’re a
Cowboys fan it’s been a long time since we’ve seen that from a defensive linemen.
The last great pass rusher to play for this team was Demarcus Ware. Man does
that seem like a lifetime ago! Ware was an amazing player and a future hall of
famer. I almost feel spoiled having watched Ware for so long. I feel like the
Cowboys should have a great pass rusher every year and that just isn’t the
case. It has been even harder watching the “pass rusher by committee” that the
Cowboys have had since Ware’s departure. The funny thing is the Cowboys have
some talented players with the potential to be star pass rushers. They just
need to put it all together and we may see that happen this year.
The Cowboys have a few young inexperienced players that
they hope can step up this season and be dominate pass rushers. The one player
that the Cowboys really need to step up is Demarcus Lawrence. Lawrence is the
one player on this team that has been successful on the big stage (playoff game
against the Lions). He has shown the ability to get to the quarterback and
apply consistent pressure. Last season was a terrible one for him. Lawrence missed
the first four games of last season due to suspension. He never got right after
returning from the suspension and dealing with injuries. This year is a make
or break year for Demarcus Lawrence.
I would love to see Lawrence return to the eight sack
player we saw in 2015. That year, he showed up every game and made an impact.
He was quick off the line, he showed an arsenal of pass rush moves, and he
played with good power at the point of attack. Most fans thought he was turning
the corner and would be a ten-sack a season player the rest of his career. Then
there is the single sack in 2016. Lawrence has to step up in a big way this
season and he will have to set the tempo. Bryon Jones has taken over the leader role for the secondary and its time that Lawrence steps up as the leader on
this defensive line. He has the skill set to get ten sacks, now it's time to
put it all together and showcase that talent.
Tryone Crawford is another player that has to step up
this season. Crawford has been a solid player for the Cowboys since he was
drafted. He has played both defensive tackle and end in this scheme. Crawford isn’t
a guy that is expected to give the team 10-12 sacks but he is a "glue" guy he holds the unit together. He
allows the Cowboys to have a veteran player in the rotation that can be trusted
to do his job. Crawford will occasionally make a big play and has
earned a starting spot. Every team needs a Tryone Crawford, not all defensive
linemen will be Reggie White! Defenses need solid players that can help make
other players around him better and that is what Crawford can do. I expected
Crawford to be moved back inside at defensive tackle. Collins will probably
play the three technique and Crawford will man the other interior spot. I don’t
have high expectation for Tyrone Crawford, I just want him to go out and be
him. His stats won’t jump off the stat sheet but his presences on the field is
something that will make the coaching staff comfortable.
Maliek Collins appears to be a legit star at defensive
tackle. He has the ability to be the perfect three-technique tackle that the
defensive line can build around. Collins had 5 sacks as a rookie last season
and 14 quarterback hurries. Even when he wasn’t getting to the quarterback he
was showing up in games, pushing the pocket or shooting up the middle of the
line. The coaching staff is excited to have Collins in this system and believes that he will be even better in year two. I can’t wait to see what Collins will
do this season. Unlike Crawford I have really high expectation for Maliek
Collins, I can see 8 sacks this year and 8 tackles for lost.
I’m just throwing out ideas on a potential starting defensive line unit. It appears that Lawrence will play the right defensive end
sport, Crawford and Collins will play in the interior, that only leaves the left
defensive end spot. Playing on the left side of the defense means taking on
tight ends, full backs and pulling guards more often. Teams run the ball to the
right side of the formation more than any other side. The right tackle is
considered the best run blocking linemen on the offense. The Cowboys haven’t
had a good left defensive end since Greg Ellis. They drafted Taco Charlton to be
their left defensive end option. Training camp will decide who plays where but
the Cowboys have some options at left defensive end, and some great rotational
pieces too.
Taco Charlton was the Cowboys first round draft pick and is a player that the Cowboys needed. He has some really long arms and that should help him extend at the point of attack an shed blockers. Charlton also plays with great power and has
the ability to put moves together to get to the quarterback. The power aspect
is what puts him in position to start at left defensive end. If he is able to display
that power and hold at the point of attack, I can see him getting the start. If
he isn’t then the Cowboys will need to tap into that rotation and get a
committee effort to man that left defensive end spot.
Tyrone Crawford is an option at left defensive end. We’ve
all seen enough of Crawford at defensive end. He doesn’t seem to have the pass
rush arsenal to generate the consistent pressure the defense needs. Crawford
has been successful at defensive tackle and its time to stick him inside and
leave him there. The Cowboys bought in Stephen Paea via free agency to add to
the depth of the defensive line. Paea is a player that plays with great power
but doesn’t really have the physical tools to be a force off the edge. Paea and
Cedric Thornton are both options at the left defensive end position. Thornton
was signed last season and was expected hold down one of those interior
defensive line spots. The excellent play of Collins changed that, but he can
still get a look inside if they decide to move Crawford outside. Thornton has a
solid game, he doesn’t jump off the screen and won’t make many big plays but he
does his job. I can see a scenario where Crawford is starting on the left side
and Thornton or Paea is starting inside next to Collins. Another scenario is
that Charlton wins the starting job on the left side and Crawford stays inside
with Collins. That would be the best scenario because we would be done with the
musical chairs games with Crawford. I twould be excited to see Collins and Crawford hold down the middle
of that defense.
Charles Tapper is another player that the Cowboys have at
their disposal. I don’t want to hype him up too much because there is a chance
that he may be cut before the season starts. The Cowboys will probably keep
8-10 defensive linemen. Tapper is good enough to make the roster but injuries
may make him the odd man out. If he is able to stay healthy, the Cowboys could
have a pass rush specialist that they can trot out on third downs. Speed is
Tapper’s biggest assets and the Cowboys could use some on that on the defensive
front. He is about the same size as
Collins but runs a 4.50 forty-yard dash. By the end of the season, we may be
talking about how Tapper could be the next big thing in Dallas.
The biggest issue that the Cowboys needed to address this
offseason was the pass rush. They added Paea via free agency and Charlton via
the draft. It still doesn’t appear that they’ve found that 12 sack player. They
hope Lawrence, Irving, Collins, or Charlton can give them a dominate pass
rusher. I haven’t even talked about Irving’s contribution because he is
suspended the first four games. I hope that Lawrence, Collins, or Charlton
produce in those four games and the Cowboys can have Irving as a rotational
player along with Tapper in pass rush situations. If the Cowboys have to count
on Irving to come back and be the 10 sack player they need, then it will be
another long season for this defense.
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