Dallas Cowboys: 3 Steps to Rebuilding the Interior Defensive Line
By Reid Hanson
Step 1: Handle Internal business
Tyrone Crawford and Antwaun Woods
Antwaun Woods is a restricted free agent the Dallas Cowboys need to re-sign. Pro Football Focus graded him Dallas’ second best run-stopper inside and most of us can see why. Woods is a 6-foot-1, 318lb trashcan full of dirt. He doesn’t offer much by way of pass-rush but he sure is good against the run.
Woods is generally regarded as a rotational player but he’s a little more than that. Injuries relegated Woods to just 10 games and 310 snaps last season, but his 31 snaps over 16 games would give him 496 for the season which would be the second most on the team (on the interior line).
Woods is a type of try-hard big body every team needs. At 27-years-old, he’s at his physical prime and since he won’t remotely break the bank, he’s a player the Dallas Cowboys can retain for dirt cheap.
Next it’s the Tyrone Crawford situation. Craw is expected to return to Dallas next season, but it’ll likely be at a reduced cost. Since his contract is going to expire in 2021, the Cowboys will probably extend him at a lower annual rate (increasing his guaranteed money).
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on DE Tyrone Crawford (hip): “We have every reason to believe he’s going to be productive.” Expects him to be on roster. Jones did not specify here, but Crawford is a candidate for contract restructure, decreasing his $8M base salary.
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) February 27, 2020
Because of injuries, last season was a bust for Crawford , but just a season before he posted career highs in sacks as he rotated between tackle and end. Bringing him back as a part-time 3-technique and part-time end would do a lot in the stabilization of the D-line next season.
Note: I fully expect both of these thing to happen in coming days. Step2? Not so sure…