The Dallas Cowboys quickly signed Jadeveon Clowney after their win over the New York Giants. Dallas is looking for the productive veteran to continue being a solid contributor despite his age, but that experience also is valuable away from the field for a team that features some youth on defense.
Clowney has jumped into practice this week as he looks to make his debut in Dallas, and he's already making an impact as a mentor for some of the youngsters. According to Cowboys writer Clarence Hill Jr., Clowney was seen coaching up the lesser-experienced guys during his first practice with the team.
Jadeveon Clowney Already Helping Out New Teammates in 1st Practice
After two games, the Cowboys have recorded four sacks, but there is room for improvement up front. Dallas is 23rd in the NFL in run defense (121) but 30th in pass defense (283). In the win over the Giants, the Cowboys gave up 506 total yards. While they had three sacks and forced one turnover, everyone needs to get better.
Since Dallas moved on from Micah Parsons, they wanted some more help up front. Adding Kenny Clark helped the interior, but they felt there was room for improvement at edge. Sam Williams, Marshawn Kneeland, Dante Fowler Jr., and Donovan Ezeiruaku are the top four players in the edge rotation, with each player logging 45-plus snaps through two games.
The Cowboys have a lot of youth in that room, and they could learn some valuable tips from Clowney. In his 11-year career, the 32-year-old has logged 409 total tackles, 108 TFLs, 58 sacks, and 15 forced fumbles. He has three Pro Bowls and one All-Pro on his resume.
While he's suiting up for his seventh team in the NFL, this is also a testament to him being an effective player on several different teams/schemes. Clowney has been able to be a run-setting edge rusher with the ability to generate pressure.
The South Carolina product will eat into some of the reps at edge, but the Cowboys are hoping he can play well in those limited snaps. He was brought in to help improve that unit, but also the leadership and experience he can bring to the table. He's already showcasing some of that in his first practice.
The next step comes on the field, and Dallas will likely ease him into action since he wasn't on a team all summer. He will need some time to ramp up, but that's fine with the youth Dallas has in the room.