Dallas Cowboys: 5 Most concerning positions heading into 2020
By Reid Hanson
Dallas Cowboys’ Concern No. 2: Right Defensive End
On paper, right defensive looks pretty formidable on the Dallas Cowboys. Players like Aldon Smith, Tyrone Crawford, and Randy Gregory are a pretty impressive list. But closer inspection reveals this unit is more mysterious than an Agatha Christie novel.
Tyrone Crawford hasn’t played in about a year and Aldon Smith has been suspended for nearly five years (and hasn’t played more than 10 games in nearly seven years). Not to mention Randy Gregory, who’s also been out a year, is still on the commissioner’s suspended list.
At the end of the day we don’t know what the heck we have at RDE.
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Adding to the mystery is the impact Mike Nolan inevitably brings. Nolan is rumored to bring with him occasional 3-4 looks. This will recast the defensive linemen which just murkies the waters further. Stephen Jones has hinted at the idea of deploying a SAM/DPA (designated pass-rusher) on 4-3 downs from time to time. Aldon Smith’s name came up as a possibility. If that’s his role he may not even be in the RDE discussion and may be slotted for that SAM and OLB role (depending on the front).
At the end of the day the Dallas Cowboys are trying to improve a defense that greatly disappointed last season. And they’re trying to do it without their most successful sack-collecting pass-rusher from 2019 Robert Quinn leaves an enormous hole at RDE – the Cowboys have plenty of options to replace him – just not a clear option.
If everything falls right for Dallas the RDE spot could be the defense’s strongest unit. But that’s far from a sure thing and the bust potential on all of these options is greater than you’d like at such a critical spot.