Dallas Cowboys: Rookie Bradlee Anae no sure thing on final roster

When the Dallas Cowboys make their final roster, there’s no guarantee DE Bradlee Anae will be on it.

Cowboys Nation collectively celebrated on nearly every pick of the 2020 NFL Draft and fifth round pick Bradley Anae, was certainly no exception. Anae, a pre-draft pet cat of many Dallas Cowboys draftniks, was never supposed to fall as far as he did.

Arguably the most accomplished edge rusher in the draft, Anae saw his stock slip when his measurables failed to live up to his production. Scouts began doubting their eyes and feared he would be unable to duplicate his success at the next level. That’s how a near top-100 player fell into the Dallas Cowboys laps at pick 179.

To say Cowboys Nation rejoiced in the value of the pick is an understatement. Anyone who saw Anae play at Utah saw a non-stop, highly physical, ball of nasty on the edge. The value of finding such an accomplished pass rusher this late into Day 3 made up for the fact Bradlee Anae had less than ideal traits.

Cowboys DE Bradlee Anae has agreed to terms on his four-year rookie contract, per agent @davidcanter. The fifth-round pick is among the team's draft selections who will sign their deals en masse this week.
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) July 20, 2020

The knock against Anae lies in his measurable. His size, speed, and length are all well below average for an NFL defensive end. And his contact-hungry brand of football could be exposed at the NFL level given his arm length (32-inch arms = 11th percentile amongst NFL DEs). Short-armed pass-rushers typically strive to avoid contact, not seek it, because offensive tackles can easily neutralize them once they lay hands on them.

Even still, this was about value and getting a productive, savvy, and hardworking playmaker. The Dallas Cowboys see him as someone who’s roughly the opposite of recently dispatched Taco Charlton. Charlton, blessed with great size and length, lacked technical skill or a desire to develop those skills. His attitude and motor was routinely questioned as well.

Dallas Cowboys DL Numbers Game

As the title of this story indicates, earning a roster spot is far from a sure thing. The Dallas Cowboys are loaded with defensive ends and making the final roster will require beating out one or two players who made the roster last season.

With DeMarcus Lawrence, Aldon Smith, and Tyrone Crawford all expected to make the cut (Randy Gregory too if he’s reinstated as we expect), Anae’s primary competition will likely come to Dorance Armstrong and Joe Jackson.

Joe Jackson has one year under his belt and the kind of size and length that translate well into playing end in a multiple front defense (something the Dallas Cowboys are expected to do). Dorance Armstrong has two seasons of pro experience and has been the primary rotation man behind DeMarcus Lawrence on the left side.

Possibly working against Anae is his overall potential. Scouts track measurable traits because they directly affect a player’s potential. Anae’s production is largely because of his motor and hand technique, meaning his ceiling appears limited. He’s also already well over 22-years-old which is just six-months younger than 2-year vet Armstrong (yes, Armstrong was drafted ridiculously young).