The Dallas Cowboys were one of the league's best offenses last season, but the defense was a constant letdown. After all, it allowed the most passing yards per game (251.5), ranked 30th in total yards per game allowed (377), and last in scoring (30.1), making the franchise's offseason priority extremely clear.
In addition to the mid-season trade for defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, Dallas bolstered its pass rush with Rashan Gary and brought in some much-needed secondary with safeties Jalen Thompson and P.J. Locke, as well as cornerback Cobie Durant. While the Cowboys made some clear upgrades on paper, their NFC East rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles, still have some work to do to overcome their offseason departures.
The Eagles lost edge rusher Jaelan Phillips to the Carolina Panthers following a mid-season trade for him last season. Additionally, safety Reed Blankenship, who was third on the team in total tackles last season (83), and linebacker Nakobe Dean are gone to the Houston Texans and Las Vegas Raiders, respectively.
With some questions remaining at each of those positions, offensive line concerns, and the yet-to-be-resolved A.J. Brown situation, the Eagles still have some areas they need to address, and have certainly opened up the door for the Cowboys to exploit those weaknesses if they put all the right pieces together.
Cowboys May Have a New Advantage over Eagles After Free Agency Rush
The Eagles have still brought in some key reinforcements to fill the void left behind by some of their key players. Defensive end Arnold Ebiketie, who is one of the league's most undervalued pass rushers, is one example, as are CB Riq Woolen and WR Marquise "Hollywood" Brown. With that said, Woolen has been one of the more penalized players in the league, while Brown may not be the most exciting fit alongside DeVonta Smith if Brown ends up being shipped out of town.
The key departures on Philly's defense should only give Dallas even more confidence offensively, but the Cowboys' defense should not entirely be ignored, either. In addition to the WR dilemma, Philadelphia's OL situation is a real concern, with Lane Johnson and Landon Dickerson facing long-term health concerns and Cam Jurgens's back issues. When you consider the defensive upgrades Dallas has already made, they could have a real advantage in the trenches if their performance backs up what is on paper.
The addition of Gary gives the defensive front a seasoned veteran, especially with the loss of Osa Odighizuwa to the San Francisco 49ers. Additionally, Durant could pay dividends in the long run alongside DaRon Bland, providing a huge boost to a secondary that is in desperate need of some reliable depth.
With the draft less than a month away, new defensive coordinator Christian Parker has a chance to make the defense even more disruptive with two first-round picks. Now, the Eagles can also make some improvements when the draft rolls around. Tankathon's latest mock draft has them going with Utah OL Caleb Lomu at No. 23 overall and LSU safety A.J. Haulcy in the second round, both of whom would address some key concerns.
We may not truly know how good the Eagles will be until the newcomers actually get out on the field and become accustomed to the system. With some help in the draft, the apparent disadvantage right now could immediately flip back around in Philadelphia's favor if some of these mostly unproven players adapt well and fit into their new roles.
With that said, Dallas was already a major threat on offense, so the defensive concerns the Eagles currently face will play into the Cowboys' strengths even more if the new additions do not meet the standards set by those before them. When you also consider how inconsistent Philadelphia's offense was last season, the Cowboys appear to at least have a defensive front capable of creating pressure against an OL that is coming off an injury-plagued season.
With that in mind and the off-field drama surrounding Brown, the Cowboys have positioned themselves on paper to at least improve on last season's dismal defense. As of now, they appear to have an advantage over the Eagles now that free agency is dying down, but for Dallas to fully capitalize, it must add some more help in the draft and hope the early moves translate to better performance on the field.