Breer on the Cowboys Pass Rush Dilemma

[Plankton]

http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2017/06/29/kansas-city-chiefs-john-dorsey-fired-nfl-notebook

4. Cowboys pass-rush takes yet another hit. Attrition pounded the Dallas secondary in March, with three of the five guys who started in the defensive backfield in the divisional playoffs now gone. But through the team’s spring work, internally, the pass rush has grown into a much bigger concern, and the suspension of David Irving, announced Wednesday by the league, certainly won’t help.

While it became clear early in May that rookies Chidobe Awuzie and Jourdan Lewis would be able to help fill in the blanks left by the free-agent exodus, what’s left up front remains muddy and the Cowboys have themselves to blame for that, because that’s where they’ve tried to cut corners. Irving and DeMarcus Lawrence both served suspensions as collegians, and Randy Gregory plummeted on draft day because of his drug issues and doubts about his mental state. And now all three have been suspended as pros. Irving was actually off the Cowboys’ draft board in 2015 after he was tossed from Iowa State’s team in 2014, and Lawrence is the only one of the three set to be available on opening day. And that’s without even mentioning the failed Greg Hardy experiment.

Having had Charles Haley and DeMarcus Ware, no one knows the value of an edge rusher better than Jerry Jones, and he also knows how hard it is to find one without drafting him high. So Jones, and the team, tried to get “creative” in finding one. The result? Dallas now needs first-round pick Taco Charlton to grow up in a hurry, because it sure looks like a very talented roster might have a fatal flaw.

 

[Idgit]

Nothing we don't know already here. Lose Irving for four games, add Taco for sixteen, and it's basically the same problem we had last season beyond that. And, yes, it proved to be a fatal playoff flaw.

 

[Scotman]

Yep, this is a critical area of need. They drafted where they could for it this year, but we are way behind the 8-ball. BIG concern.

 

[TheFinisher]

Can always count on Breer to overdramatize when it comes to the Cowboys.

The truth is our secondary is stronger than it was a year ago. Morris Claiborne and Barry Church were not part of the run last season. If you want to argue the loss of Carr and Wilcox will doom a unit that added Awuzie, Lewis, Carroll, Woods and White be my guest, but don't get offended if most don't agree. Jones and Brown were the bright spots of the secondary last year, one may find it odd that their growth never gets mentioned in these articles...

Randy Gregory has never really been a part of this team. His "loss" is nothing new. We drafted a 1st Round DE, are getting our 4th round DE from a year ago back from IR, have a budding star at 3T in Maliek Collins and are adding a LB that was regarded as the best prospect in the entire draft class a year ago... but instead of talking about what they bring to this front 7 let's instead dwell on a 4 game suspension of a rotational DL and make sure you mention we signed Greg Hardy 2 years ago!

I kind of like it though, fans from other teams that actually buy into this nonsense being reported will be in for another campaign of shock, awe, and saltiness by November when this defense is top 5 again.

 

[Scotman]

Can always count on Breer to overdramatize when it comes to the Cowboys.

The truth is our secondary is stronger than it was a year ago. Morris Claiborne and Barry Church were not part of the run last season. If you want to argue the loss of Carr and Wilcox will doom a unit that added Awuzie, Lewis, Carroll, Woods and White be my guest, but don't get offended if most don't agree. Jones and Brown were the bright spots of the secondary last year, one may find it odd that their growth never gets mentioned in these articles...

Randy Gregory has never really been a part of this team. His "loss" is nothing new. We drafted a 1st Round DE, are getting our 4th round DE from a year ago back from IR, have a budding star at 3T in Maliek Collins and are adding a LB that was regarded as the best prospect in the entire draft class a year ago... but instead of talking about what they bring to this front 7 let's instead dwell on a 4 game suspension of a rotational DL and make sure you mention we signed Greg Hardy 2 years ago!

I kind of like it though, fans from other teams that actually buy into this nonsense being reported will be in for another campaign of shock, awe, and saltiness by November when this defense is top 5 again.

I genuinely hope you are dead right.

 

[Plankton]

Can always count on Breer to overdramatize when it comes to the Cowboys.

The truth is our secondary is stronger than it was a year ago. Morris Claiborne and Barry Church were not part of the run last season. If you want to argue the loss of Carr and Wilcox will doom a unit that added Awuzie, Lewis, Carroll, Woods and White be my guest, but don't get offended if most don't agree. Jones and Brown were the bright spots of the secondary last year, one may find it odd that their growth never gets mentioned in these articles...

Randy Gregory has never really been a part of this team. His "loss" is nothing new. We drafted a 1st Round DE, are getting our 4th round DE from a year ago back from IR, have a budding star at 3T in Maliek Collins and are adding a LB that was regarded as the best prospect in the entire draft class a year ago... but instead of talking about what they bring to this front 7 let's instead dwell on a 4 game suspension of a rotational DL and make sure you mention we signed Greg Hardy 2 years ago!

I kind of like it though, fans from other teams that actually buy into this nonsense being reported will be in for another campaign of shock, awe, and saltiness by November when this defense is top 5 again.

I don't think you read what he said very clearly.

He indicated that the draft class this year remedied the secondary holes. He focused on the front four, where it's indisputable that there are a lot of question marks. Irving will be missing for the first four games. Crawford is coming off of another shoulder surgery. Tapper is largely an unknown quantity coming off of an injury. Lawrence has proven himself to be unreliable, and has back problems. To expect much more than 3-4 sacks from Taco Charlton is ignoring the history of rookie edge rushers taken at that point of the draft. Mayowa needs to build on his late season performance from last year.

I don't think that there was any overdramatization at all in his take. In fact, it's entirely reasonable. The Cowboys have a lot to prove on defense.

 

[Jkyle]

The problem is if any of the other DE's suffer an injury, then the problem exacerbates.
That will cause the team to go short on other positions in order to shore up the DE position.
It could mean keeping someone or signing someone who may not be otherwise worthy and releasing a prospect at another position to open the roster spot.

 

[Kaiser]

Randy Gregory has never really been a part of this team. His "loss" is nothing new. We drafted a 1st Round DE, are getting our 4th round DE from a year ago back from IR, have a budding star at 3T in Maliek Collins and are adding a LB that was regarded as the best prospect in the entire draft class a year ago... .

Totally agree. Also he fails to mention that DLaw and Tyrone Crawford played through injuries last year. Either of those two may or may not give you much better production than last year but if it does happen, you are essentially adding one or two starters.

 

[Kaiser]

DeMarcus Lawrence both served suspensions as collegians, and Randy Gregory plummeted on draft day because of his drug issues and doubts about his mental state. And now all three have been suspended as pros.

BTW, this is either sloppy or ignorance, he is implying that DLaw was suspended in college for drugs. His suspension in college was one game for missing curfew by a few minutes and his NFL suspension was for a supplement and not a recreational drug or PED. Lumping him in with Randy Gregory is either lazy or ignorant.

 

[UDcowboysfan]

As long as the offense keeps them off the field like last year i'm not that worried. Throw in a few wild cards like the rookies playing well and Jaylon playing above average and this defense will be middle of the pack.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I don't think you read what he said very clearly.

He indicated that the draft class this year remedied the secondary holes. He focused on the front four, where it's indisputable that there are a lot of question marks. Irving will be missing for the first four games. Crawford is coming off of another shoulder surgery. Tapper is largely an unknown quantity coming off of an injury. Lawrence has proven himself to be unreliable, and has back problems. To expect much more than 3-4 sacks from Taco Charlton is ignoring the history of rookie edge rushers taken at that point of the draft. Mayowa needs to build on his late season performance from last year.

I don't think that there was any overdramatization at all in his take. In fact, it's entirely reasonable. The Cowboys have a lot to prove on defense.

Uncertainty is better than Mincey and Selvie.

 

[dfense]

Can always count on Breer to overdramatize when it comes to the Cowboys.

The truth is our secondary is stronger than it was a year ago. Morris Claiborne and Barry Church were not part of the run last season. If you want to argue the loss of Carr and Wilcox will doom a unit that added Awuzie, Lewis, Carroll, Woods and White be my guest, but don't get offended if most don't agree. Jones and Brown were the bright spots of the secondary last year, one may find it odd that their growth never gets mentioned in these articles...

Randy Gregory has never really been a part of this team. His "loss" is nothing new. We drafted a 1st Round DE, are getting our 4th round DE from a year ago back from IR, have a budding star at 3T in Maliek Collins and are adding a LB that was regarded as the best prospect in the entire draft class a year ago... but instead of talking about what they bring to this front 7 let's instead dwell on a 4 game suspension of a rotational DL and make sure you mention we signed Greg Hardy 2 years ago!

I kind of like it though, fans from other teams that actually buy into this nonsense being reported will be in for another campaign of shock, awe, and saltiness by November when this defense is top 5 again.

It's true, focusing on the big three rather than even mentioning anybody drafted after the second round. Tapper, Collins, a healthy Lawrence, Moore etc.

 

[Bullflop]

The article within the OP concludes with the idea that losing Irving for the first 4 games might well be a fatal flaw. That's surely not necessarily so. Yes, it might be a flawed but not necessarily fatal early season beginning for the Dallas pass rush.

There are enough other young "rushmen" available to more than likely take up the slack. Taco Charlton will likely be afforded extra opportunities to contribute, along with the others like Maliek, Moore and Tapper. It should undoubtedly enhance Taco's and the other youngster's development considerably sooner than what might otherwise have come to pass.

 

[lukin2006]

Irving's suspension is the 1st 4 games, can not see how losing an inconsistent pass rusher for 4 games is that big a deal?

 

[ActualCowboysFan]

Oddly enough, Dallas had more sacks than either the Eagles or Giants last season. Pressure was a problem but they finished ok if they got there. They're relying on Taco, Moore, and Tapper to replace the contributions of Jack Crawford. I think it's safe to assume that should be an improvement. Whether it's enough remains tbd.

 

[TheFinisher]

I don't think you read what he said very clearly.

He indicated that the draft class this year remedied the secondary holes. He focused on the front four, where it's indisputable that there are a lot of question marks. Irving will be missing for the first four games. Crawford is coming off of another shoulder surgery. Tapper is largely an unknown quantity coming off of an injury. Lawrence has proven himself to be unreliable, and has back problems. To expect much more than 3-4 sacks from Taco Charlton is ignoring the history of rookie edge rushers taken at that point of the draft. Mayowa needs to build on his late season performance from last year.

I don't think that there was any overdramatization at all in his take. In fact, it's entirely reasonable. The Cowboys have a lot to prove on defense.

"Attrition pounded the Dallas secondary in March..." is the first sentence, which establishes the narrative for the rest of this article. What Breer exclaims through carefully selected hyperbolic statements like "pounding" and "exodus", Cowboy fans logically viewed as a refreshing opportunity for changeover from underperforming, overpaid veterans. That's classic emotional journalism.

He then rambles on for another paragraph or so about Greg Hardy, Randy Gregory, and Demarcus Lawrence's suspension in college from 2013... things that basically have nothing to do with this season or challenge the strategy the front office took when assembling the current 2017 roster over the course of the 2017 off-season.

He then wraps up his rant by indirectly proclaiming that David Irving's 4-game suspension is the "fatal flaw" for this team.

overdramatize
(ˌəʊvəˈdræmətaɪz) or
overdramatise
vb (tr)
to make too dramatic

Even the title of this article "Cowboys pass rush takes another hit"
What exactly were the previous hits?

 

[KingintheNorth]

If the Cowboys look like true contenders come the trade deadline, they need to consider a pass rusher off a non-contending team, probably a pending free agent. It's one of the easiest positions (responsibility-wise) so no fear of "not knowing the playbook." It's going to haunt us in the playoffs if not addressed.

Aaron Lynch (24 years old, $1.7M cap hit) of the rebuilding 49ers (Charles Haley part 2) could be a player to look at.


By Charles Haley part 2, I do not mean the quality of Haley, just the circumstances. Plus, he's a bit of a jerk like Haley was.

 

[Risen Star]

Close it.

 

[KingintheNorth]

Close it.

I hope you are right, but "hope" should not be the FO's philosophy for fixing the pass rush.

 

[Bullflop]

As long as the offense keeps them off the field like last year i'm not that worried. Throw in a few wild cards like the rookies playing well and Jaylon playing above average and this defense will be middle of the pack.

Actually, I think it was middle of the pack last year, as they were significantly underrated throughout the year. I'm optimistic that Marinelli might well have a field day gleaning the most out of what we currently have available. There's plenty of talent available now with outstanding upside. I'm looking forward to seeing a defense that is better than average by midseason, at the very latest and quite possibly even sooner.