gimmesix
Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life
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I know it's too early to know who exactly will be starting and it will depend some on the progress of the younger players, but it seems like in the base defense Quinn wants to use that we could have four rookies and two free agents starting:
Osa Odighizuwa — One of the things we want to accomplish with the pseudo-3-4 fronts we will be running is to be a lot better against the run than we were last year. Despite his size, Odighizuwa might already be one of the better interior run defenders we have because he makes good use of leverage and his long arms. Outside of one player I'll mention in a minute, we don't have a lot of strong run defenders to play a 3-4 end spot. It isn't a strength of Watkins, Gallimore or Hill.
Brent Urban — It's very likely in the pseudo-3-4 that Urban will be on the field as either a 3-4 end or nose tackle. At this point, he's the best run defender we have while not bringing much as a pass rusher. His height and size make him a better fit for end than nose tackle, but we could need him there if the next guy doesn't show the ability to handle the role as a rookie.
Quinton Bohanna — Bohanna fits everything you'd expect from a two-down NT. He's big and hard to move. Whether he can engage two blockers by controlling the center or proving difficult to move without help is the question that will determine his contribution. He doesn't offer much of anything as a pass rusher, which is why he was available late in the draft, but if he can fill this niche role, that's what Dallas wants of him.
Micah Parsons — It's pretty obvious the Cowboys want the player they drafted No. 12 overall to start. How much he'll be out there could depend on whether he's shaky in coverage. Dallas wants him out there all three downs partly so it can send him into the backfield at any time to wreak havoc. But if he's one of the two linebackers out there against the pass, he has to be able to cover some. Now, if he can't, the team might just choose to line him up as a pass-rushing end, but it's difficult to say how he'd handle being a hand-on-the-ground rusher.
Demontae Kazee — Although Keanu Neal is also going to have a role in this defense (likely as a nickel/dime linebacker and possibly splitting strong safety some with Donovan Wilson), it appears Kazee will be counted on to start at free safety. Although he's coming off an injury, he's proven to be a solid player in the role. The main question is how much of a toll, if any, the injury has taken. There's no proven backup if he falters.
Kelvin Joseph — With Dallas letting Chidobe Awuzie walk (and rightly so), it appears Dallas' best bet might be starting a second-round rookie like it did last year. It's possible either Anthony Brown or Jourdan Lewis could take the role if Joseph isn't ready, but that's not close to ideal.
Osa Odighizuwa — One of the things we want to accomplish with the pseudo-3-4 fronts we will be running is to be a lot better against the run than we were last year. Despite his size, Odighizuwa might already be one of the better interior run defenders we have because he makes good use of leverage and his long arms. Outside of one player I'll mention in a minute, we don't have a lot of strong run defenders to play a 3-4 end spot. It isn't a strength of Watkins, Gallimore or Hill.
Brent Urban — It's very likely in the pseudo-3-4 that Urban will be on the field as either a 3-4 end or nose tackle. At this point, he's the best run defender we have while not bringing much as a pass rusher. His height and size make him a better fit for end than nose tackle, but we could need him there if the next guy doesn't show the ability to handle the role as a rookie.
Quinton Bohanna — Bohanna fits everything you'd expect from a two-down NT. He's big and hard to move. Whether he can engage two blockers by controlling the center or proving difficult to move without help is the question that will determine his contribution. He doesn't offer much of anything as a pass rusher, which is why he was available late in the draft, but if he can fill this niche role, that's what Dallas wants of him.
Micah Parsons — It's pretty obvious the Cowboys want the player they drafted No. 12 overall to start. How much he'll be out there could depend on whether he's shaky in coverage. Dallas wants him out there all three downs partly so it can send him into the backfield at any time to wreak havoc. But if he's one of the two linebackers out there against the pass, he has to be able to cover some. Now, if he can't, the team might just choose to line him up as a pass-rushing end, but it's difficult to say how he'd handle being a hand-on-the-ground rusher.
Demontae Kazee — Although Keanu Neal is also going to have a role in this defense (likely as a nickel/dime linebacker and possibly splitting strong safety some with Donovan Wilson), it appears Kazee will be counted on to start at free safety. Although he's coming off an injury, he's proven to be a solid player in the role. The main question is how much of a toll, if any, the injury has taken. There's no proven backup if he falters.
Kelvin Joseph — With Dallas letting Chidobe Awuzie walk (and rightly so), it appears Dallas' best bet might be starting a second-round rookie like it did last year. It's possible either Anthony Brown or Jourdan Lewis could take the role if Joseph isn't ready, but that's not close to ideal.
