5 Dallas Cowboys who need a much stronger December
By Reid Hanson
Dallas Cowboys who must improve in December
Damone Clark, LB
Playing with Damone Clark right now, is like playing with borrowed money for the Dallas Cowboys. The recipient of offseason spinal fusion surgery, Clark was someone many of us expected to be red-shirted this season. All Clark has done is blow those expectations out of the water and show everyone he’s someone they should have gambled on in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Clark was graded as likely first round pick until team doctors discovered a herniated disk in his neck that would require surgery. Not surprisingly, his draft value suffered greatly, dropping Clark all the way to the fifth round.
Hard to wrap my head around the fact that Damone Clark's injury scared everyone so much that he was sitting undrafted @ pick 176, and he's getting meaningful snaps on defense on Thanksgiving Day.
— David Helman (@davidhelman_) November 24, 2022
could be a huge, huge steal for Dallas.
His pain was the Dallas Cowboys gain, because against the odds, Clark made his NFL debut in Week 8. Since then, we’ve seen his snap count go from 47 over the first two games, to 89 snaps over the last two games. Clark has now logged significant snaps and opportunities on the Dallas Cowboys defense and looks to be a key part going forward.
While the Dallas Cowboys enjoy Anthony Barr’s veteran stability in their stable of ‘backers, they are more explosive and more dynamic with Clark lining up next to Leighton Vander Esch. And frankly, given the wear and tear of the linebacker position, having extra options at your disposal is important because it keeps Micah Parsons rushing the passer.
Clark specifically needs to have a stronger December because he’s the player with the highest ceiling. Gifford is capped, Cox is still learning, and Barr is well past his prime. The one player who is good enough now and has yet to reach his ceiling is Damone Clark and that’s why he makes the list