Cowboys Best Option at 3-Technique DT: Crawford or Collins?

Who is the primary occupant of the 3-technique defensive tackle for the Cowboys this season is still yet to be determined but it will likely come down to these two linemen:

The Dallas Cowboys front four is completely up in the air entering training camp. Without any established stars to speak of and position flex aplenty, the competition looks to be fierce.

The 3-technique defensive tackle, thought of as a premium position on any Rod Marinelli defense, is certainly no exception. The two primary candidates for the job are thought to be five-year veteran Tyrone Crawford and second-year pro, Maliek Collins.

While the Cowboys employ a steady rotation along their defensive front four, starters are expected to garner majority of the snaps. Getting the top-4 defensive linemen on the field is priority No. 1. And that’s why this battle is a particularly interesting one to watch.

Tyrone Crawford

Make no mistake Tyrone Crawford is playing for his job in 2017. The highest paid linemen on the roster has yet to live up to his potential, and with only 12.5 sacks in his five-year career and nearly a $10 million per year price tag, time is running out on the 27-year-old.

Last year was an interesting one for Crawford. Injuries and suspensions thinned the defensive end position significantly. Because of this, Crawford was moved outside to the edge for majority of his season.

A defensive end at Boise State, Crawford was no stranger to the edge position and it showed on the field. In 14 games Crawford logged 4.5 sacks and earned a 72.9 score from Pro Football Focus, ranking him 56^th in the NFL amongst his peers.

In minicamps the Cowboys have been working Crawford on the edge once again, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be playing there this season. If the Cowboys want to get their best four on the field then Crawford may need to move back inside. That could come at the expense of Maliek Collins.

Maliek Collins

While veteran status helps Crawford in the competition for the 3-tech spot, youth helps Collins. Maliek Collins, drafted in the third round of the 2016 NFL draft, is built like a nose tackle but moves like a 3-tech. He’s both strong and quick and racked up 5 sacks as a rookie last season.

Despite the sacks, Collins has polarized many assessors. While many around the Cowboys team speak glowingly of the 22-year-old tackle from Nebraska, player evaluation sites don’t speak so highly. Pro Football Focus gave Collins a paltry 39.6 score, rating him 123^rd in NFL DTs.

He particularly had trouble against the run, getting blown off the ball and neutralized by blockers. Overall he was the lowest rated Cowboys defender and very one-sided in his offerings.

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?

What can we expect from this battle?

It’s important to note that the traditional 3-tech position will largely be a two-down job opening. On third down, in obvious passing situations, the Cowboys will insert new personnel. This will likely move edge players like David Irving (once off suspension) and Taco Charlton inside with more situational pass rushers like Demontre Moore, Benson Mayowa, and Charles Tapper taking their vacated spots on the edge.

We also know that pass-rushing ability trumps run-stopping almost every day of the week and whichever player distinguishes himself as the best pass-rusher will likely win the starting nod.

If you doubt this think about how often the Cowboys will be playing with the lead in 2017 and how opposing offenses will be playing catch-up more often than not.

The battle for starting 3-technique will be a fun one to watch and it’s highly likely it will come down to these two players. But regardless who wins, expect to see plenty of them both in 2017.

Tyrone Crawford’s versatility may be his undoing. His position flex will probably force him to split time with the defensive end spot leaving Collins to be the primary 3-technique DT.

Just don’t expect Collins to man the 1-technique DT. The 1-tech calls for more stoutness against the run and that happens to be Collins’ weakness heading into his second year.

Related Story: Explaining the Defensive Techniques

Being a third round pick, Collins was drafted to clearly be the 3-tech — especially since Rod Marinelli doesn’t believe in drafting 1-techs. Additionally, the Cowboys are loaded at 1-tech with Cedric Thornton and Stephen Paea both under contract.

Next: How the Cowboys pass-rush is 3rd worst in the NFL

No versatility for Collins and plenty of versatility for Crawford could very easily dictate what role these two players take in 2017 for the Dallas Cowboys.