Dallas Cowboys: 3 solutions for the defensive line

The Dallas Cowboys had an encouraging season debut with a 31-29 loss to the Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccanneers. From that humid Thursday night in Tampa, seemingly everything has gone downhill.

Zack Martin returned to the team shortly after the game, but right tackle La’el Collins got handed a five-game suspension with questionable merit. Randy Gregory was moved to the Covid-19 list with little idea as to how quickly he’d recover. However, perhaps the most significant news from this last week was that star defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence had broken a bone in his foot leaving him unable to play for at least the next six weeks.

This, in conjunction, with the Randy Gregory news was exactly what this team needed given how relatively unproven the team’s EDGE depth has been thus far. The Cowboys’ defense looked more aggressive in the preseason, but one game into the season and they returned to their blitz-averse ways. Having strong EDGE play was a necessity to account for the lack of extra pass-rushing help.

With Lawrence out and Gregory likely out this week, Dorance Armstrong and Tarrell Basham likely become the team’s starting EDGE defenders against the Los Angeles Chargers. Basham has starting experience, but there is a reason why he wasn’t starting before this week. The same applies to Armstrong.

Does this game give these two the opportunity to prove they are starting-caliber defenders? Sure, but I think we know what to expect at this point. It’s fortunate for them that the Chargers will be without right tackle Bryan Bulaga, but not every team’s offensive line depth is as bad as the Chargers.

These types of roster problems require unique solutions that defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and other company will figure out.

These are my three possible solutions to deal with the Dallas Cowboys EDGE depth for this season!

All I ask is that you don’t form any harsh reactions to my solutions, I simply want to help!