There have been big changes this offseason for the Dallas Cowboys. With the addition of new coaches and players, this team will have a distinct look this upcoming season. That’s a welcoming thought when you consider they didn’t perform up to snuff last year.
What the team ultimately looks like is a big unknown, so to gain a better understanding, we are examining the starters to see which areas have improved and which have declined. On Tuesday, we did the offense, so today we’ll finish it off with the defense.
EDGE1 - Micah Parsons
Parsons is one of the top pass-rushers in the game, and soon he’ll be paid like one. There is nothing to see here. Parsons has been great, and he’ll continue to be great.
Status: No Change
EDGE2 - Dante Fowler
This is a little tricky. We want to be clear, DeMarcus Lawrence has always been a very strong player for this defense, despite not always getting the credit he deserves. Losing a player like that can’t be swept under the rug. However, Lawrence was hurt last season, and his spot was mostly occupied by the combination of Carl Lawson and Chauncey Golston.
Fowler is better than both of them. He’s coming off double-digit sacks and has proven that he’s a quality pass-rusher. So, while he doesn’t offer the same dynamic playmaking as Tank, the EDGE2 should still be an improvement this year, especially in pass rush.
Finally, while this article is about the starters, the edge-rushers are sort of a group package with guys constantly rotating in and out. When you factor in those other guys, there is a clear upgrade over last season.
Status: Slight Improvement
3-TECH - Osa Odighizuwa
It’s so satisfying to report no change to this position as it means the team retained one of the better defensive players, Odighizuwa. His bank account is much bigger now, and the team will gain more years of service from their long-armed 3-tech defensive tackle.
Status: No Change
NT - Mazi Smith
This one is tough because, much to the denial of many, Smith is gradually progressing. He had 42 tackles last year, the most by a Cowboys nose tackle since 2015. And one might expect Smith to continue to get better as he’s just 23 years old. But for now, we don’t want this exercise littered with wishful thinking, so we’ll just say Mazi is Mazi and list this as no change.
Status: No Change
LB (SAM) - Marist Liufau
The rookie linebacker from Notre Dame has a solid first year in the league. He played in all 17 games and compiled 50 tackles. He also added 1.5 sacks. Liufau flashed some of that playmaking ability we saw in college, and we can see why the team was excited to get him in the third round. Spending a year working alongside veteran Eric Kendricks was valuable, and he should only be better this season.
Status: Slight Improvement
LB (MIKE) - Jack Sanborn
The Cowboys signed Kendricks to a one-year deal last year, and all he did was have one of the better seasons of his career despite being 32 years old. He compiled 138 tackles last year, the second-most of his career. He also added three sacks, two interceptions, and a career-high three forced fumbles. Kendricks was quietly a playmaker on this defense.
The team has replaced this veteran, former second-round starting linebacker with a 24-year-old, undrafted free agent backup linebacker. The good news is that Sanborn is a solid player who has shown the ability to do more in an expanded role. The better news is that his former coach and linebacker whisperer, Matt Eberflus, is now the Cowboys' defensive coordinator. We’re going to respect Kendricks and tag this with a slight decline, but it could be closer than we think.
Status: Slight Decline
LB (WILL) - Kenneth Murray
The defense gained a huge spark with they finally got to see DeMarvion Overshown in action last season. Despite missing the last four games, the young linebacker had 90 tackles (second-best) and five sacks (third-best). He also had the team’s only defensive touchdown. Unfortunately, a knee injury derailed his season (again) and poses a threat to this upcoming season.
The team traded for former first-round pick Kenneth Murray. While Murray is a solid player who flashes nice athleticism, he doesn’t bring the same playmaking ability as the talented Overshown. Rather than being on the cusp of watching Overshown emerge as one of the league’s strong linebackers, we’re given Murray as a consolation prize. It could be worse, but it also could’ve been a lot better.
Status: Slight Decline
CB1 - Trevon Diggs
Now, we get to the part that becomes extremely murky and filled with speculation, as we have no idea what to expect at the cornerback position. Last year, Trevon Diggs was coming off a knee injury. People were concerned he wouldn’t be the same player, and he wasn’t. When he was on the field, he wasn’t nearly the same playmaking corner we had come to expect, and was even a liability at times. And to make matters even worse, his season ended abruptly after it was discovered that he was still having some lingering effects from his knee injury.
This year, he again will be coming off a knee injury, and the timetable for his return is a great unknown. Similarly, what he can actually do on the field should come with lowered expectations. Considering the bar wasn’t that high last year, we’re going to project something very déjà vu-like and call this no change.
One thing to keep in mind is that the Cowboys used a third-round pick on Shavon Revel Jr., who is also recovering from a knee injury. He has some nice raw traits, and he could help make this an area of improvement later in the season.
Status: No Change
CB2 - DaRon Bland
Last year, Bland held this position but missed the first 10 games of the season. When he was finally on the field, he was okay, but it was nothing like his spectacular sophomore season in the NFL, where he had a record-breaking five interceptions returned for a touchdown. Until Bland showed up, the second corner spot was covered by rookie Caelen Carson and then practice-squad elevation Josh Butler.
Bland is healthy now and is entering the final year of his rookie deal. He’s a flexible player who can handle duties on the outside and in the slot. With a better bill of health and a contract year looming, we should see a pretty good version of him this season.
Status: Slight Improvement
CB3 - Kaiir Elam
The team lost slot corner Jourdan Lewis to free agency as he signed a big contract to play for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Despite underwhelming stats, his play on the field has been valuable, and he’s not so easily replaced.
The Cowboys traded a late-round draft pick for former first-round pick Kaiir Elam after his time in Buffalo started to sour. Elam has fallen well short of his draft price, but has flashed some good plays here and there. Considering the team’s precarious corner situation, the Dallas barin-trust is hoping for a reclamation project here. Elam should battle to handle one of the outside spots if Bland or Israel Mukuamu cover the slot.
Status: Decline
SS - Donovan Wilson
Wilson is a weird one because, like the team’s two All-Pro corners, he can produce both really good and really bad play. He’s in the final year of his contract, and the team could actually save almost $9 million if they cut him after June 1st, so he’s not out of the woods yet in terms of being a cap casualty. The team also gave extensions to three other safeties in March - Markquese Bell, Juanyeh Thomas, and Israel Mukuamu (who is also seeing time as a slot corner). Regardless of what happens with Wilson, the strong safety position should be very similar to last season.
Status: No Change
FS - Malik Hooker
From one known contributing safety to another, Hooker has been the team’s free safety for the past four seasons. After battling injuries in Indianapolis, he’s been incredibly reliable for the Cowboys, playing in at least 15 games in each of his four years with the team. While Hooker isn’t splashy, he’s also not a liability. We should expect more of the same from the veteran safety this season.
Status: No Change
When you look at the defense as a whole, there are many positions to be concerned about. No change spots like nose tackle and CB2 should still keep us on the edge of our seats. And downgrades at linebacker and nickel corner are something that will need to be watched closely. There are still some quality starters on defense, and it should be interesting to see how this unit holds up.