A Lot of Ifs Riding on Edge

[Rockport]

Just my title alone would make some readers want to nose dive off the proverbial cliff.

But please.

Don't jump.

We've got problems at edge again.

But don't worry. The proverbial Chicken Littles should step away from the ledge. We've got everything under control.

Or do we?

In the right scheme, if the right players stay healthy, with the right players taking the right leaps, we could be surprisingly good in '26.

That's a lot of ifs.

Rudyard Kipling would be proud.

On the other hand, if things don't go well, we could be surprisingly bad.

Gary is consistently average, but he's new to this scheme. He's solid, but hasn't been special.

A lot hinges on the development of Ezeiruaku, who was good versus the run but didn't make it home as much as we'd like. He did generate a lot of pressures for a rookie, which indicates he may take a decent jump in year two if he can stay healthy.

Fingers crossed.

Lawrence could be better than we imagined. Or he could struggle like most rookies do. We shall see.

Knock on wood.

Houston is what he is, undersized, but otherwise high motor who sometimes gets beaten because of his size. He's decent at rushing the passer but has been historically streaky.

We can hope

Sam Williams, meh.

Wish us luck.

At least we have a better coach.

You never know. The ball could bounce our way.

Or maybe it's a fumble.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Just my title alone would make some readers want to nose dive off the proverbial cliff.

But please.

Don't jump.

We've got problems at edge again.

But don't worry. The proverbial Chicken Littles should step away from the ledge. We've got everything under control.

Or do we?

In the right scheme, if the right players stay healthy, with the right players taking the right leaps, we could be surprisingly good in '26.

That's a lot of ifs.

Rudyard Kipling would be proud.

On the other hand, if things don't go well, we could be surprisingly bad.

Gary is consistently average, but he's new to this scheme. He's solid, but hasn't been special.

A lot hinges on the development of Ezeiruaku, who was good versus the run but didn't make it home as much as we'd like. He did generate a lot of pressures for a rookie, which indicates he may take a decent jump in year two if he can stay healthy.

Fingers crossed.

Lawrence could be better than we imagined. Or he could struggle like most rookies do. We shall see.

Knock on wood.

Houston is what he is, undersized, but otherwise high motor who sometimes gets beaten because of his size. He's decent at rushing the passer but has been historically streaky.

We can hope

Sam Williams, meh.

Wish us luck.

At least we have a better coach.

You never know. The ball could bounce our way.

Or maybe it's a fumble.

that and the LBs....last year was kind of the same. lot of player acquisitions and lot of ifs, and more than half didn't work out.

 

[Jarntt]

I agree with your title: "A Lot of Ifs Riding on Edge"
more than your first comment: "We've got problems at edge again."

Point being, we just don't know yet. It's more a question than a problem right now. You would be burying your head in the sand to state with any certainty that we will be fine, but also disingenuous to act as if we can't be. Biggest thing you left off might be bringing in pass rush guru coach BT Jordan. Especially with younger guys, he could be the key to our EDGE pass rush development and with Gary and EZ I think from a run perspective we feel comfortable that we will be OK at EDGE.

 

[beware_d-ware]

I don't see any high-end pass rushers on the edge. Lawrence has the juice to become that guy, but EZ and Gary just don't.

Pass rush is going to be a weakness this year, and it's one reason why I'm pessimistic about the defensive renaissance that people keep expecting. We just don't have the horses. We've upgraded from the Diggs and Murray circus, but we're still not that talented.

 

[jazzcat22]

Plus don’t forget our annual July mantra….”this year just feels different.”

Because this time it is actually different in a much better way.

 

[jazzcat22]

Still shocking to me that people are almost discounting Gary. He's a stud.

Might even see some alignments w/ Gary and Overton. Overton is an absolute beast vs the run, agile and strong.

Right, I am amazed, but yet at the same time not surprised how many fans are discounting him. He is not a JAG. He can be very disruptive.

 

[Stash]

Gotta look at the type of player Gary is. He's "the other guy", the strongside OLB who stops the run/sets the edge. Pretty much closes down that side of the field. Think Tony Tolbert. We don't need him to be great, just solid. Which he always has been.

 

[blueblood70]

Just my title alone would make some readers want to nose dive off the proverbial cliff.

But please.

Don't jump.

We've got problems at edge again.

But don't worry. The proverbial Chicken Littles should step away from the ledge. We've got everything under control.

Or do we?

In the right scheme, if the right players stay healthy, with the right players taking the right leaps, we could be surprisingly good in '26.

That's a lot of ifs.

Rudyard Kipling would be proud.

On the other hand, if things don't go well, we could be surprisingly bad.

Gary is consistently average, but he's new to this scheme. He's solid, but hasn't been special.

A lot hinges on the development of Ezeiruaku, who was good versus the run but didn't make it home as much as we'd like. He did generate a lot of pressures for a rookie, which indicates he may take a decent jump in year two if he can stay healthy.

Fingers crossed.

Lawrence could be better than we imagined. Or he could struggle like most rookies do. We shall see.

Knock on wood.

Houston is what he is, undersized, but otherwise high motor who sometimes gets beaten because of his size. He's decent at rushing the passer but has been historically streaky.

We can hope

Sam Williams, meh.

Wish us luck.

At least we have a better coach.

You never know. The ball could bounce our way.

Or maybe it's a fumble.

It's kind of funny in that when the team actually gets serious about the Interior DL, we go to rooks and unknowns to provide pressure on the edge.
I get some fell out of favor with Parsons for various reasons, but what I would of given up to seen at least one year of a Q-Will and Parsons duo.

Obviously Q Williams provides a legit threat from inside, but the edges have to be better than last year to provide more pass rush.
I'm sort of leaning on the upside of EZE/Law 2.0 but have to wonder if they are ready this year to be that starting level talent or if they need more time.

I don't see it that way you have to have a defensive coordinator in a scheme that can bring pressure from everywhere and that will help our edges but there are not defensive ends anymore I know they're similar but they're not an outside linebacker will you plan to run and rushing to pass her but they will be bringing pressure from everywhere from off the ball linebackers from the corners delayed blitzes from the safeties they will be coming from everywhere.

That is one of the reasons Matt Eberflues failed because he didn't want to create any off script type pressure he wanted to rely just on players being better than the guy in front of him and that was a big fail...

If you look at the games that he bring more pressure got more creative that's when they were stacking more pressures than sacks but then you go the next game right back to super passive hardly any pressure saying hey you 4 go ahead and go get them no that's not how you play ball if you need to manufacture sacks that's what you do dan Quinn was great at it he brought guys from all over he didn't count just on his outside guys....

Believe everyone's too worried about this because last year was so bad they're still at PTSD from the pressure and they never really got to make up for the loss of Parsons given when he was traded a week before the season started but I don't believe that was a big problem You have to have both the back end covering better which would include the better safety the improved corners if they can give us one more second a lot of those last year would have been sacks the whole defense was so bad at all three levels that it just makes people start focusing on certain positions and it's not necessary..


To me it's just like when Nolan was really bad in 2020 and Dan Quinn came in immediately figured out a way to better utilize the entire defense and go outside of just a standard scheme.. And while his defense needed work and that's why the answer to my other question when you fix the center of this defense and you plan on using your front 7 to stop the run better then you've already resolved that problem and it will help the rest of your team I'd rather have a problem happen to manufacture sacks from the outside than have it in the middle so soft..

Oh and PS if you need proof of this not needing a single point of failure top heavy this is exactly what Seattle and New England did seattle didn't have a single guy over 10 sacks and you're worried about having Parsons in his 14 sacks if you can get it from the entire team and not just one player if you get a few injuries it doesn't set you back as hard.. Team won't be let down as easy knowing that you just lost basically 50% of your sacks in one guy..

 

[shabazz]

Most of us are stuck in 2010 or earlier. I'm coming around to the fact that defense is played different in 2026. Just go to the Quinnen Williams thread posted by @big dog cowboy and he (QW) outlines the teams in the League that play the new or upgraded style of defense.

This is why it is a GOOD thing we have new and young coaches that see the value of a little innovation not some old codger that is still coaching what he taught in 1996. Also the same old codger that was on Jerrah's rolodex in 1996. Hell, these young coaches weren't even born then and aren't/weren't on Jerrah's radar in 2026. This is Shotty and Parker's way. I am excited, cautiously, that we're finally doing something different instead of the status quo we've done the last 30 years.

Last time Jerrah stepped out of the box was hiring Parcells. That went pretty good (even though I don't and didn't like Parcells' coaching style particularly).

As far as edge goes, I'm with Parker ... just hold the position and anchor before you try to get fancy and play out of the scheme trying to get a sack! That's why Osa Odighizuwa ain't here ... he's a jump around guy not an anchor guy.

The League evolves. Go COWBOYS !

Very nicely said, brother

 

[817Gill]

Has anybody stopped to consider that Christian Parkers defense all but eliminates the need for dominant edges?

Multiple alignments, two high shells and simulated pressure is the key to this.

Bingo

 

[kskboys]

that and the LBs....last year was kind of the same. lot of player acquisitions and lot of ifs, and more than half didn't work out.

No, it wasn't even remotely the same. Gotta pay more attention to the type of acquisitions. Thompson/Locke/Durant/Gary/Bullocks/Winters are all proven NFL players. Name one D acquisition from last offseason that you can say that about.

 

[kskboys]

Right, I am amazed, but yet at the same time not surprised how many fans are discounting him. He is not a JAG. He can be very disruptive.

Gary is a top 10 strongside OLB who will get you 6-10 sacks.

 

[fivetwos]

Because this time it is actually different in a much better way.

Yeah I agree. Anyone who reads my posts knows I’m all in…depending on what your interpretation of that term that is. Hee. Hee.

 

[Praxit]

I’m honestly not overly concerned about the edge players. I think fans are expecting things that the staff isn’t.

I think fans expect big numbers and the staff is looking for consistency.

Contain will be the point of emphasis, not sacks. They’ll be looking to give opposing offenses into obvious 3rd down passing situations where they will have their advantage and opportunities.

..that's where Parker comes in. The discipline on the Dline.

 

[HungryLion]

I like both the young players at edge. It’s just a matter of how long it takes for them to develop.

It’ll be fun watching them grow I think.

 

[kskboys]

I like both the young players at edge. It’s just a matter of how long it takes for them to develop.

It’ll be fun watching them grow I think.

I believe w/ the talent we have at edge, that our pass rush will be at a bare minimum competent.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Has anybody stopped to consider that Christian Parkers defense all but eliminates the need for dominant edges?

Christian Parker's defense all but eliminates the need for 11 men, but he doesn't want to be disrespectful.

 

[Praxit]

Gary is a top 10 strongside OLB who will get you 6-10 sacks.

..this year, 12 sacks. ..

 

[Coogiguy03]

Agreed. I love the EZ/Lawrence upside, but that’s a lot to expect out of a raw rookie and 2nd year player to carry the load.

This looks to be a very average group and is one hamstring pull away from not being very good at all.

I wish we could get someone that WASN'T titled as raw it bothers me, it puts in my mind long term development instead of someone that can go in there and make an immediate impact!! Is it reality not so I guess, but there are players that can come in and have an impact off it rip!!

 

[big dog cowboy]

I think fans expect big numbers and the staff is looking for consistency.

Has anybody stopped to consider that Christian Parkers defense all but eliminates the need for dominant edges?

Multiple alignments, two high shells and simulated pressure is the key to this.