Cowboys Need To Re-Sign These Two Players
By Dink Kearney
The Dallas Cowboys have a lot of holes to fill, but keeping these two players is a priority for the team.
When the Dallas Cowboys prepare for the NFL draft in April, there are several positions that need to be addressed. For example, the quarterback position, running back, wide receiver, and defensive tackle, all need some attention. Although the Cowboys will fulfill most of the positions through the draft or free agency, there are two players on the current roster the Cowboys need next season.
The two key players the Cowboys need to keep are defensive end Greg Hardy and middle linebacker Rolando McClain. There are a few others the Cowboys would like to re-sign, but these two studs can be vital to the Cowboys success in 2016.
Greg Hardy
The Cowboys signed troubled sack machine Hardy to bolster a lackluster pass rush. The Cowboys were haunted by Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who beat them with one leg in the 2014 playoffs. With no significant pass rush, Rodgers stood in the pocket on one leg and destroyed the Cowboys dreams of playing in their first NFC Championship game in 20 years.
Owner and general manger Jerry Jones vowed to fix that problem by signing Hardy. Hardy had a total of 27 sacks from 2012-2014 while playing for the Carolina Panthers. Hardy would’ve had more sacks if not for being on the NFL’s exempt list in 2014. Hardy only played in one game in 2014 and tallied one sack.
Although Hardy scored a total of six sacks last season, his presence alone made everyone else better. If you believe defensive end Demarcus Lawrence didn’t benefit from Hardy’s presence, you are dead wrong. Lawrence ended the season with eight sacks, and Lawrence picked up most of those sacks towards the latter part of the season.
Lawrence was nowhere to found in the first four weeks of the season. In fact, Lawrence didn’t record his first sack until the fourth game of the season, against the New Orleans Saints.
The Cowboys pass rush was non-existent until Hardy arrived. Hardy picked up where he left off when he sacked New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady twice. Hardy’s sacks dropped off over the course of the season, but he impacted other defensive linemen, particularly defensive tackles Tyrone Crawford and Jack Crawford.
Tyrone had five sacks and Jack had four sacks. Remember, these two linemen are run stoppers, gap fillers, not necessarily sack artists. For both of these men to have career highs in sacks speaks volumes about Hardy’s impact.
Keep in mind that Hardy missed all of the 2014 season, except for one game. In essence, Hardy hadn’t played in almost two seasons. Regardless of his athletic ability and overall talent, Hardy wasn’t in football shape.
Add in the media scrutiny Hardy received because of a domestic violence case, and there is a man that is physically and mentally worn out. Frankly, I believe the latter had more to do with his lack of production than the former.
Re-signing Hardy benefits the Cowboys tremendously. First, the Cowboys will have a dominant pass rusher who will be in football shape for the first time in almost three seasons. Second, Hardy’s presence impacts Lawrence, Tyrone Crawford, Jack Crawford, and Randy Gregory.
Lastly, the Cowboys don’t have to spend one of their draft picks on a pass rusher. With Hardy, Lawrence, and Gregory as the primary pass rushers, the Cowboys can draft a bona fide defensive tackle. If the Cowboys want to win another Super Bowl in Jones’ lifetime, they’re going to need a talented pass rusher.
Rolando McClain
Like his defensive colleague, Hardy, McClain was suspended for the first four games of the 2015 season and as a result, it had an impact on McClain’s production. McClain started off slow and didn’t do anything of importance until he returned an interception for a touchdown against the Miami Dolphins. That pick-six helped the Cowboys defeat the Dolphins.
McClain plays the MIKE position and is one hell of a coverage-linebacker. His raw talent and long arms allow him to play man and zone coverage. Those long arms of his intercepted Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson back in 2014, sealing the game and propelling the Cowboys to a 6-1 start.
More from Dallas Cowboys
- West coast, Texas coast, burnt toast: Cowboys don’t need more runs
- Brandin Cooks will change the way defenses play the Dallas Cowboys
- Why the Dallas Cowboys defensive X-Factor is EDGE Sam Williams
- Dallas Cowboys: 3 head coach options if McCarthy fails in 2023
- Dallas Cowboys: Is CB Jourdan Lewis a tradeable asset?
Most linebackers can’t play man and zone coverage and be as effective as McClain has been. Plus, McClain is responsible for stopping the run up the middle. I’m very aware that Pro Football Focus rated McClain as one of the worse inside linebackers against the run.
I understand that injuries have plagued McClain this past season, too. However, McClain’s sub-par season can be attributed to the four game suspension or just an athlete having a bad season.
Like Hardy, McClain had a lot to deal with mentally. I’m not letting either one off the hook for their own reckless behavior. The suspicious house fire and violating the league’s substance abuse policy are definitely serious issues for McClain moving forward.
Because of these issues and a sub-par year, the Cowboys sit in the driver ‘s seat in terms of offering McClain a cap friendly contract. McClain is super talented and it’ll be a low-risk, high-reward situation.
The Cowboys have other linebackers in the fold, too, like linebackers Anthony Hitchens and Damien Wilson. Both linebackers have shown flashes of their talent, but they aren’t better than McClain.
With McClain manning the middle, the Cowboys can expect him to play like he did in 2014, when he performed like a first round pick out of Alabama. McClain and WILL linebacker Sean Lee will be a dynamic duo, two of the best linebackers in the NFL.
Next: Cowboys: The Future Of The Tight End Position Is Here
Add in Hardy’s impact to the defensive line, and the Cowboys will have a fearsome defense.
Since the Cowboys window of winning a Super Bowl is quickly closing, the opportunity starts now by re-signing two talented and troubled defensive studs.