Dallas Cowboys Training Camp: 3 reasons to be excited
By Chris Hill
I’m going on record to say the Dallas Cowboys acquisition of defensive end Robert Quinn, will go down as a defining moment in the team’s ascension to the top defense in the NFL. That’s a bold statement, but Quinn’s presence will have ripple effects throughout this already talented defense.
At 29-years-old, Quinn is very much in the sweet spot where he still has supreme athleticism to go along with the veteran techniques and preparation needed to be dominant. Quinn’s presence on the right side of the defensive line will result in one or two scenarios.
Scenario No. 1 is he will feed off All-Pro defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, and he will post 15+ sacks this year en route to reestablishing himself as a top pass rusher. With all the attention given to Lawrence and defensive tackles Maliek Collins and Trysten Hill providing some push in the middle, Quinn can win some one-on-one match ups and cause major disruption in the backfield.
Scenario No. 2, is his unrelenting pressure as the right defensive end, attacking the best pass protector on the offense from the quarterback’s blind side, will help Lawrence reach high double-digit sacks and become the most feared defensive lineman in the NFL. However, this isn’t where he will make the biggest impact on Lawrence.
Cameron DaSilva points out in theramswire.usatoday.com that Quinn is the originator of the pass rushing move that Los Angeles Rams Defensive Tackle Aaron Donald has used to become the league MVP. Donald states:
"“Honestly, I copied that from Robert Quinn. I watched his film and he would do the chop-club – he always did the chop-club with the jump. He had 19 sacks one year and I just did it one game – we were playing the Seahawks and I did it and I got through. I just worked it more and more and just kind of stole the jump chop-club from Robert Quinn. Shout out to Rob.”"
Don’t be surprised if you don’t see some additions to Lawrence’s game based on his daily interaction with Quinn. Lawrence is entering his physical prime and now he can potentially leap ahead though gleaning knowledge from Quinn which is another reason to be excited.