DALLAS —
The Dallas Cowboys made a big splash last off-season when they traded for defensive end Robert Quinn. Up until that move was made, the Cowboys had tried for years to find a bookend pass rusher to couple with fellow DE DeMarcus Lawrence.
Quinn paid huge dividends, while Lawrence’s sack numbers fell. This isn’t to knock Lawrence, who still brought pressure at a high rate, he just didn’t get the quarterback to the ground as regularly as fans would like. In all, Dallas’ defense totaled 39 sacks last season, good for 19th in the league. That wasn’t good enough for a team that finished second in the league in offense.
This isn’t just a 2019 problem either, Dallas hasn’t ranked higher than 13th in the NFL or surpassed the 40 sack threshold since 2011. With only Lawrence in the immediate fold for the upcoming season, the team must address the issue of getting to the quarterback.
Mike McCarthy couldn’t have been clearer about his preference for pass rushing – and defensive line – help when he spoke last week.
The Cowboys have tried to address the problem area, but the options haven’t worked out. In 2015, they drafted gifted pass rusher Randy Gregory and signed troubled DE Greg Hardy. Gregory’s problems with the league’s substance abuse policy haven’t allowed him to become the force they envisioned and Hardy petered out with the team after just one season.
Taco Charlton came along in the first-round of 2017 – to the chagrin of many fans who preferred T.J. Watt – and was promptly sent packing before playing three seasons with the team. Without a first-round selection in 2019, the Cowboys used their second-rounder on defensive tackle Trysten Hill, but he barely saw play in his rookie season.
Right now, the Cowboys don’t have nearly enough edge rushers. Lawrence will be back, and the hope is Quinn will return as well, but the “war daddy” cache that Jerry Jones covets is looking quite barren. Two won’t get the job done, not when the coach wants six dogs that can hunt the QB.
Upcoming free agency and the draft could address some of the concerns, but so could the help of two old friends. With the rumblings that the NFL will ease up on the rules surrounding marijuana usage in the new labor deal, there are rumors that Gregory hopes to return in 2020.
Gregory was suspended indefinitely in February 2019 for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, just a month after completing his best year as professional. Gregory had six sacks in his only full season in 2018 and improved his play as the year went on. If the former Nebraska product is right, he can be a significant contributor to the pass rush. The Cowboys still hold Gregory’s rights for the next two seasons.
Another former Cowboy, David Irving, could be looking to return as well.
Irving was also suspended in 2019 for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy and chose to retire rather than be subject to the league’s marijuana restrictions. The pass rushing DT had some standout moments in his four years with the Cowboys including a menacing performance against McCarthy’s Green Bay Packers in 2016. Irving’s combination of strength and speed makes him a dangerous playmaker in the middle of a defense.
Neither Gregory nor Irving are sure things, even if they do get reinstated and play for the Cowboys again. It’ll take time for them both to get back into football mode again after missing an entire year of playing the sport.
However, Dallas’ defense right now has Lawrence, Dorance Armstrong and Joe Jackson as their top three edge rushers for 2020. The Cowboys would be smart to find more guys who can get to the quarterback. Gregory and Irving might fall back into the laps of the Cowboys, and it might be the answer to their pass rushing woes.
Do you think the Cowboys should move on from Randy Gregory and David Irving or are they worth fighting for? Share your thoughts with Ben on Twitter @BenGrimaldi.
