Slept on Need: DE/EDGE

[CalPolyTechnique]

I think a sneaky need this team currently has going into 2024 is DE/EDGE. Dorrance Armstrong and Dante Fowler are both UFAs and at least one, if not both are likely to walk due to the contract needs elsewhere on the team. Not to mention, there may be some loyalty with former Quinn players following him to Washington.

If the board falls a certain way (i.e., serious run on OL), I could see a couple of DE/EDGE prospects that could be in play at #24:

Darius Robinson and Laiatu Latu.

Of these two, who is your preference and why?

 

[Centex]

Latu had a serious neck injury a while back. I read that he medically retired from football for a short time. That scares me with what we have been through with others.

 

[KingintheNorth]

Darius has some Tank to him.

I'm really liking the Kansas Edge as a second round gamble/

 

[big dog cowboy]

I think a sneaky need this team currently has going into 2024 is DE/EDGE. Dorrance Armstrong and Dante Fowler are both UFAs and at least one, if not both are likely to walk due to the contract needs elsewhere on the team. Not to mention, there may be some loyalty with former Quinn players following him to Washington.

If the board falls a certain way (i.e., serious run on OL), I could see a couple of DE/EDGE prospects that could be in play at #24

I think you are completely right.

 

[Gambit]

I think a sneaky need this team currently has going into 2024 is DE/EDGE. Dorrance Armstrong and Dante Fowler are both UFAs and at least one, if not both are likely to walk due to the contract needs elsewhere on the team. Not to mention, there may be some loyalty with former Quinn players following him to Washington.

If the board falls a certain way (i.e., serious run on OL), I could see a couple of DE/EDGE prospects that could be in play at #24:

Darius Robinson and Laiatu Latu.

Of these two, who is your preference and why?

Robinson only because I don't see a scenario where Lati falls to 24.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

Latu had a serious neck injury a while back. I read that he medically retired from football for a short time. That scares me with what we have been through with others.

FWIW, here’s what I found on wiki:

“Latu suffered a neck injury during fall practices entering his sophomore year. Following the season, Washington's team doctors deemed that the injury had not recovered enough and that it would be too dangerous for Latu to continue playing football. Huskies' head coach Jimmy Lake announced that Latu had retired at the start of spring practices in 2021.[7] He remained enrolled at the University of Washington for the first semester of his junior year before entering the NCAA transfer portal to find a program where he could continue his college football career.[8]

Latu ultimately transferred to the University of California, Los Angeles.[9] He was cleared to play by team physicians near the end on the Bruins' spring practices.[10] Latu was named the Pac-12 Conference Defensive Player of the Week for Week 4 after recording three sacks and forcing a fumble against Colorado.[11]”

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

I think Robinson is more realistic in terms of being available as an option at 24. I also like the fact he has size to him at ~285 lbs. I think part of the problem with our run defense is we have no heft on the d-line. We trot out these 245-255 lbs DEs that get moved off the line far too often.

 

[cnuball21]

I think it’s a flat out need…good teams have figured out we don’t have anyone that can be a consistent threat outside of Parsons so he just eats double teams in the playoffs and we struggle to create pressure. Thats not even considering the players we’re about to lose in FA.

Im not a fan of the big bodied guys outside so Robinson doesn’t do it for me. I think he’s best suited to kick inside.

Latu is Edge 1 according to most so is a pipedream IMO.

I think realistic options would guys like:

Verse
Robinson
Braswell
Trice

Depends on how the board shakes out but you could probably talk me into one of these dudes. Verse and Chop would be my favorites.

 

[cnuball21]

Darius has some Tank to him.

I'm really liking the Kansas Edge as a second round gamble/

Please don’t say 2nd round gamble on the Cowboys forums lol…

 

[kevinhickey]

Latu had a serious neck injury a while back. I read that he medically retired from football for a short time. That scares me with what we have been through with others.

That is a pass for me.

 

[Hardline]

I'm more concerned with stopping the run.

 

[Cowboyny]

I think a sneaky need this team currently has going into 2024 is DE/EDGE. Dorrance Armstrong and Dante Fowler are both UFAs and at least one, if not both are likely to walk due to the contract needs elsewhere on the team. Not to mention, there may be some loyalty with former Quinn players following him to Washington.

If the board falls a certain way (i.e., serious run on OL), I could see a couple of DE/EDGE prospects that could be in play at #24:

Darius Robinson and Laiatu Latu.

Of these two, who is your preference and why?

Much bigger need then many realize: Armstrong/Fowler are fa's. Cannot trust Sam Williams. DLaw probably playing more season with the team.

 

[Cowboyny]

FWIW, here’s what I found on wiki:

“Latu suffered a neck injury during fall practices entering his sophomore year. Following the season, Washington's team doctors deemed that the injury had not recovered enough and that it would be too dangerous for Latu to continue playing football. Huskies' head coach Jimmy Lake announced that Latu had retired at the start of spring practices in 2021.[7] He remained enrolled at the University of Washington for the first semester of his junior year before entering the NCAA transfer portal to find a program where he could continue his college football career.[8]

Latu ultimately transferred to the University of California, Los Angeles.[9] He was cleared to play by team physicians near the end on the Bruins' spring practices.[10] Latu was named the Pac-12 Conference Defensive Player of the Week for Week 4 after recording three sacks and forcing a fumble against Colorado.[11]”

We heard the same things about Lve when it was drafted, neck injuries are concerning.

 

[KingintheNorth]

Please don’t say 2nd round gamble on the Cowboys forums lol…

In player personnel, if you are going to gamble, gamble on athletic traits.

Character and medical issues are typically a bad gamble. Draft those guys on Day 3.

 

[RS12]

Robinson and not think twice. Position and scheme flex. Most importantly no neck issues. Played and produced in a better conference.

 

[America's Cowboy]

Cowboys have D-Law, Parsons and Williams under contract for DE position. Will probably keep either Armstrong or Fowler. Plus, Villiami Fehoko, Jr can play DE as well.

DE is not a position of need.

 

[cnuball21]

Cowboys have D-Law, Parsons and Williams under contract for DE position. Will probably keep either Armstrong or Fowler. Plus, Villiami Fehoko, Jr can play DE as well.

DE is not a position of need.

“Will probably keep” seems like a stretch for a team that needs young talent at the position.

Fehoko has been working inside / outside so he isn’t the answer.

 

[America's Cowboy]

“Will probably keep” seems like a stretch for a team that needs young talent at the position.

Fehoko has been working inside / outside so he isn’t the answer.

There are bigger needs at other positions with only very limited draft picks available.

 

[Risen Star]

Cowboys have D-Law, Parsons and Williams under contract for DE position. Will probably keep either Armstrong or Fowler. Plus, Villiami Fehoko, Jr can play DE as well.

DE is not a position of need.

Everybody has names. The Cowboys have Parsons and a bunch of guys at DE. Dorance friggin Armstrong is our 2nd most productive pass rusher.

If you want a better defense you have to improve there as well as DT.

 

[America's Cowboy]

Everybody has names. The Cowboys have Parsons and a bunch of guys at DE. Dorance friggin Armstrong is our 2nd most productive pass rusher.

If you want a better defense you have to improve there as well as DT.

Dorrance Armstrong Jr was our 2nd most productive pass rusher last year because he received a majority of snaps compared to Sam Williams. Armstrong had 7.5 sacks while playing 446 defensive snaps (42%). Williams had 4.5 sacks while playing 303 defensive snaps (28%). Give Sam Williams 42% of all defensive snaps, he most likely surpasses Armstrong's 7.5 sacks in a season.