Dallas Cowboys Defense Looks Promising Long-Term, Rocky Short-Term

The Dallas Cowboys’ recent departures on defense open up potential for long-term improvement, but raise concerns for the upcoming season.

Death and defensive mediocrity (er, taxes). Those are two things Dallas Cowboys‘ fans could be certain of in life for most of the decade. Only two times has the Cowboys’ defense ranked in the top half of the league in yards allowed per game since 2010. One of those times was last season, which ended with a disappointing display against Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Due to limited cap space, the Cowboys had to make some tough decisions regarding which of their free agents should be re-signed. A significant portion of it went to wide receiver Terrance Williams. Both his retention and a competitive free agent market made keeping defensive secondary players Brandon Carr, Morris Claiborne, Barry Church and J.J. Wilcox infeasible.

Whether you feel positive or negative about these losses may have been shaped by your go-to media sources. Most convey views that can be placed into one of two lines of thought: 1) There is no need to get anxious about the loss of mediocre players, or 2) holes in the secondary should raise serious concerns for the team and its fans.

One national columnist even went so far to say the Cowboys should have selected Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey over rookie sensation Ezekiel Elliott in the 2016 draft.

I’m going to present my perspective, which encompasses both views. First I’d like to focus on the positive side, which revolves around opportunity.

More from The Landry Hat

With uncertainty in the secondary, at linebacker, and along the defensive line, the Cowboys are allowing players with untapped potential to become key starters. In my article last week, I noted a few defensive players already on the roster who have a chance to develop into quality players.

Plus, with the offense already addressed at most of its positions, odds are Dallas will want to focus on the defense in the draft. Owner and general manager Jerry Jones has stated his desire to find a war daddy. This draft is also considered deep in positions in the secondary. NFL media analyst Daniel Jeremiah recently posted his latest top 50 prospects in the 2017 draft, which included 10 cornerbacks and seven safeties. The Cowboys need help at both positions.

In the long-term, the makeup of the new Dallas’ defense may end up developing into a solid unit. This is especially true if the team allocates more resources (money and draft picks) towards the defense. The unit needed change, and now it has finally gotten a substantial amount.

However, player development takes time, which brings us to the negative side of the team’s recent losses. Carr and Church weren’t great players, but they were reliable starters. It’s unfair to expect rookies in the secondary to immediately play up to the level of competent veterans. This is especially true for rookie cornerbacks according to Bleacher Report’s Ty Schalter.

"“A whopping 37.9 percent of cornerbacks taken in the first two rounds over this period (2002-2011) didn’t play well in their first season—but turned it on in year two, year three or both.”"

And unfortunately for the Cowboys, these players will be immediately thrown into the fire. The Dallas Cowboys have a tough schedule in the upcoming season. It features some of the league’s top passers, including Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, and another appearance from Aaron Rodgers. It also doesn’t help the Cowboys’ division rivals stocked up on wide receivers in free agency.

The recent signing of cornerback Nolan Carroll should help address the loss of Carr and Claiborne. However, his relatively low contract suggests NFL teams showed a lack of interest in his talents while Pro Football Focus ranked Carroll as the 92nd best cornerback in 2016. Part of his struggles could be attributed to a scheme mismatch with the Philadelphia Eagles, but that’s hardly reassuring.

Players who show high potential such as linebacker Jaylon Smith, defensive tackle Maliek Collins, and defensive lineman David Irving may need more time to become consistent play makers due to their inexperience. And this will only be free safety Byron Jones‘ second full year at his position.

Next: Dallas Cowboys All-Time Best Defensive Players By Position

Clearly there is reason to believe a brighter future is ahead for the Cowboys’ defense. Regardless, I wouldn’t blame those who believe tough times are ahead in 2017.

Home/Cowboys News