The Dallas Cowboys Defensive Depth Chart After Two OTA Practices

[waving monkey]

The Cowboys have completed two OTA sessions and the rookie minicamp so far, and kick off their third OTA session today. That's a good time to take a look at what an updated defensive depth chart could look like.
by One.Cool.Customer@OCC44 May 25, 2017, 11:00am CDT

Two of three Organized Team Activities are in the books for the Dallas Cowboys, and the third session kicks off today. Only one practice has been open to the media, but there's been enough information published to give us a better idea of what the team's depth chart could look like.


Before going any further though, keep in mind that this is an early June depth chart. All practices have been conducted without pads, and a lot will change between now and the end of the preseason in August. Even more importantly, players like Jaylon Smith (knee), DeMarcus Lawrence (back), Tyrone Crawford (shoulder), Stephen Paea (knee), Benson Mayowa (knee), and Kavon Frazier (foot) sat out the practice open to the media, so any reports about the first-team lineups are necessarily incomplete. For the depth charts below, I've simply made assumptions about where each of these players will fit on the depth chart, starting with the defensive line. 2017 draft picks are marked in green, 2016 draft picks are marked in blue

http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2017...tas-taco-charlton-chidobe-awuzie-jaylon-smith

 

[yentl911]

I see Collins starting - no way he is second string - I know Marinelli likes to rotate but this kid is going to ball this year

 

[LatinMind]

no way does Dallas take 5 S' on the active roster. Think Frazier will get cut. And unless Woods can learn how to tackle instead of just hit he wont be active over Blanton because Blanton is a straight tackling machine.

I dont think Brown will be starting. He did admirable last yr, but he was a PI magnet. He's too slow to matchup against speed too. Think either Lewis or Awuzie will be starting on the left side this yr. I dont know why people are penciling Nolan in as starter by default. The guy has been bad for the past 2 yrs. Awuzie matches up favorably skillset wise against Nolan.

Im going to pencil in Smith at MIKE now. Im a believer now lol

Irving is going to be gone the first 4 weeks. And that means he cant be around the team for those 4 weeks. I doubt he gets active until week 6 to get in shape.

MY DLineup thru 6 weeks
Lawrence | Crawford | Thornton | Charlton Starting
Tapper | Collins | Paea | Mayowa

Situational playing DE and inside Moore

 

[Trouty]

My list (in no order):

DL -- Taco, DLaw, Collins, Thornton, Paea, Crawford, Irving, Tapper, Mayowa, Moore - 10

LB -- Wilson, Wilber, Jaylon, Hitch, Nacho, Lee - 6

DB -- Brown, Oscan, Carrol, Lewis, Awuzie, Heath, Jones, Frazier, Woods - 9

25 -- plus an extra (whomever splashes in training camp/pre-season) for the four games Irving is out.

3 of the last 4 years we've gone 25 on D (2014 we went 26).

Thanks, OP

 

[bayeslife]

Nice write up LM

I know we're still looking for the superstar rusher on the D line but we finally are about to field quality bodies on the game day roster. I expect the defense to make some strides this year

 

[KingintheNorth]

Yikes! That starting secondary is expansion team-level bad.

 

[Trouty]

Yikes! That starting secondary is expansion team-level bad.

Yeah, I think some of those players (namely Carroll) will get beat out by one or more of the rooks.

We don't know yet how Heath will play if given the starter role, and Jones is solid.

 

[jterrell]

Love that OCC told everyone he was making assumptions.
That's a good write up when you are honest up front.

I think what he's suggested is very fair and largely accurate.
Health obviously will determine a lot.

 

[jterrell]

Yikes! That starting secondary is expansion team-level bad.

Its definitely not "good" but no, expansion teams wouldn't have 2nd and 3rd round picks as back ups.
Outside Carroll and OScan they are all ascending players and the rooks are largely unknowns.
So decent chance they are better than they look on paper.
But also a decent chance they still are mediocre.

 

[StarBoyz83]

I see Collins starting - no way he is second string - I know Marinelli likes to rotate but this kid is going to ball this year

I agree. I think he should start over Crawford already.

 

[jterrell]

I see Collins starting - no way he is second string - I know Marinelli likes to rotate but this kid is going to ball this year

pass rushers may well be non-starters.

 

[dallasdave]

My list (in no order):

DL -- Taco, DLaw, Collins, Thornton, Paea, Crawford, Irving, Tapper, Mayowa, Moore - 10

LB -- Wilson, Wilber, Jaylon, Hitch, Nacho, Lee - 6

DB -- Brown, Oscan, Carrol, Lewis, Awuzie, Heath, Jones, Frazier, Woods - 9

25 -- plus an extra (whomever splashes in training camp/pre-season) for the four games Irving is out.

3 of the last 4 years we've gone 25 on D (2014 we went 26).

Thanks, OP

Who you got starting on defense ?

 

[Trouty]

Who you got starting on defense ?

Ideally:

Taco RDE Tank LDE Collins 3T Thornton 1T

Lee WIL Jaylon MIKE Wilson SLB

Brown and Awuzie outside CB
OScan slot

Heath SS
Jones FS

Rotating on DE -- Irving, Tapper, Crawford, Mayowa, Moore

Rotating at DT -- Irving, Crawford, Paea (1T)

Depth at LB -- Hitch, Nacho, Wilber

Pushing for starter at CB -- Lewis. Depth -- Carroll

Depth at SS -- Frazier (or Blanton if he splashes in camp/preseason)

Depth at FS -- Woods (who may push, yet to be seen, Dave )

 

[dallasdave]

Ideally:

Taco RDE Tank LDE Collins 3T Thornton 1T

Lee WIL Jaylon MIKE Wilson SLB

Brown and Awuzie outside CB
OScan slot

Heath SS
Jones FS

Rotating on DE -- Irving, Tapper, Crawford, Mayowa, Moore

Rotating at DT -- Irving, Crawford, Paea (1T)

Depth at LB -- Hitch, Nacho, Wilber

Pushing for starter at CB -- Lewis. Depth -- Carroll

Depth at SS -- Frazier (or Blanton if he splashes in camp/preseason)

Depth at FS -- Woods (who may push, yet to be seen, Dave )

Looks like a pretty good chart.

 

[Irvin88_4life]

My list (in no order):

DL -- Taco, DLaw, Collins, Thornton, Paea, Crawford, Irving, Tapper, Mayowa, Moore - 10

LB -- Wilson, Wilber, Jaylon, Hitch, Nacho, Lee - 6

DB -- Brown, Oscan, Carrol, Lewis, Awuzie, Heath, Jones, Frazier, Woods - 9

25 -- plus an extra (whomever splashes in training camp/pre-season) for the four games Irving is out.

3 of the last 4 years we've gone 25 on D (2014 we went 26).

Thanks, OP

Marquez White will make the roster

 

[Trouty]

Looks like a pretty good chart.

With what we have! Wish we had a bonafide "War "Daddy"

Maybe Taco and/or Irving?!

 

[Trouty]

Marquez White will make the roster

I wouldn't be surprised, and they carry 26 on D (like they did in 2014) or dump one of the fringe linemen (like Moore, say).

I can't see any of those LB'ers or DB's not making the squad.

We'll get to carry an extra player for a quarter of the season, too, Irv

 

[Texas_Pete]

 

[gimmesix]

My list (in no order):

DL -- Taco, DLaw, Collins, Thornton, Paea, Crawford, Irving, Tapper, Mayowa, Moore - 10

LB -- Wilson, Wilber, Jaylon, Hitch, Nacho, Lee - 6

DB -- Brown, Oscan, Carrol, Lewis, Awuzie, Heath, Jones, Frazier, Woods - 9

25 -- plus an extra (whomever splashes in training camp/pre-season) for the four games Irving is out.

3 of the last 4 years we've gone 25 on D (2014 we went 26).

Thanks, OP

I still think we go with five safeties and keep Blanton. That gives us 25 with Irving out four games. We can either trim from that position or from DL when Irving returns.

 

[Trouty]

I still think we go with five safeties and keep Blanton. That gives us 25 with Irving out four games. We can either trim from that position or from DL when Irving returns.

It'll be interesting. We can also go 26 on D