Sport DFW
FanSided

Do the Dallas Cowboys need more help on their defensive line?

By Reid Hanson

ATLANTA, GA - NOVEMBER 26: Gerald McCoy #93 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers warms up prior to the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on November 26, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - NOVEMBER 26: Gerald McCoy #93 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers warms up prior to the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on November 26, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

With Gerald McCoy suddenly a free agent would he be a worthwhile addition to the Dallas Cowboys? Yes and no…

When news broke this past week that Gerald McCoy was being released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cowboys Nation went crazy. McCoy, a long-time object of our affection wasn’t just a darn good player, but he played a position of concern for the Dallas Cowboys.

On paper, the Dallas Cowboys are ridiculously deep on the defensive line. Just last Sunday I addressed that depth saying there’s more good players than roster spots available.

But depth is one thing and adding high-end talent to the top of the depth chart is something entirely different. Someone like McCoy would undoubtedly help the Cowboys, but how much help do they really need?

The way the season ended, many Dallas Cowboys fans are convinced the Dallas Cowboys are in dire need of interior girth. No one can forget the LA Rams running up and down the Dallas Cowboys to the tune of 273 yards.

But that’s the way recency bias works. We forget the big picture and fixate on the ending (Insert Game of Thrones reference here). The Dallas Cowboys were actually one of the stoutest teams against the run last season.

Last season, Dallas finished 8th in total rushing yards allowed and 4th in yards per carry. Even if they made a massive investment this offseason, the improvement would be slight at best.

In the pass-rushing department Dallas finished in the middle of the pack (sacks, hurries, tackles for loss). They responded this offseason by adding Robert Quinn, Kerry Hyder, and Trysten Hill to the mix. If Randy Gregory comes back and continues to develop as he has, this could be a formidable pass-rushing group.

More from Dallas Cowboys

A complete player like Gerald McCoy would help the Cowboys against the run and the pass. But the run-stopping part of this team is already extremely good and the pass rushing part has already been significantly improved.

This isn’t to say McCoy would be a bad signing. Quite the contrary – he’s a great player and would likely be fairly affordable this late in the offseason.

Additionally, the Dallas Cowboys are expected to see massive turnover in 2020 with Maliek Collins, Tyrone Crawford, and Antwaun Woods all potentially on their way out. Having someone lined up to play with Trysten Hill would be a safe move to make this season.

But signing a veteran who could just be a short-term solution would force the Dallas Cowboys to give up on another young player who would otherwise be a long-term solution. Everything has a cost, and in this cost-benefit analysis, that cost may be too high considering how good the D-line is already and how little room for improvement there is to be had.

Next. Cowboys try out "the next Romo". dark

The Dallas Cowboys are better than you may think on the defensive line, making other areas of the team more worthy of investment.

  • Published on 05/24/2019 at 11:30 AM
  • Last updated at 05/24/2019 at 06:46 AM
Home/Dallas Cowboys