I’ll put it this way:
I really didn’t want the Cowboys to draft Cox, primarily because I felt he was really lacking in toughness and ability in the run game. He was and always has been good as a coverage LB… but not the run game.
Now I didn’t want Cox here because people were talking about Dallas using a second round pick on him, which seemed crazy to me. However, when he fell to the 4th round, that seemed about right to me for a guy that you really only wanted to use in coverage. So I was onboard with Jabril at that point.
Clark is a completely different story. That guy is tough, athletic, and explosive on contact. I liked him from the start. I liked him better than every LB except Lloyd. He brings a tough guy to the defense, who runs better than most guys and just flys around. He’s a well rounded game that could see him on the field on all three downs.
I wasn’t really looking at an early round LB in this past draft, so I didn’t spend much time looking at how Dallas might could get Clark but I did expect him to go early.
Clark and Cox are completely different players with completely different values to the team. Cox was drafted because Quinn wasn’t sure what he had LB wise for his nickel / dime packages. Had Quinn known that he would have Kearse and Wilson to play as nickel LB, I don’t think he would’ve taken Cox because he’s not going to be an adequate replacement for LVE (or Barr) on a full time basis.
Clark absolutely could replace either of those guys. He’s a very good, well rounded player who, IMO provides better speed, athleticism and toughness than either Barr or LVE. If Clark is right physically, I think there’s no way that he won’t start getting plays and will take more and more time away from LVE / Barr… both of who I view as not as good as Clark.
I am fired up about adding him to the already very good defense. Hopefully, by the last quarter of the season he can be playing a lot… because he’ll help for sure. He has the movement skills to help get out to the edge in the run game better than either of the two guys there now.
That’s my take on Clark.