How many sacks can the Cowboys new-look defense get in 2020?
By Matt Aaron
The sacks each Cowboy defender made in 2019:
- DeMarcus Lawrence (defensive end) – 5.0 sacks
- Jaylon Smith (linebacker) – 2.5 sacks
- Jourdan Lewis (cornerback) – 4.0 sacks
- Sean Lee (linebacker) – 1.0 sack
- Leighton Vander Esch (linebacker) – 0.5 sack
- Darian Thompson (safety) – 1.5 sacks
- Dorance Armstrong (defensive end) – 2.0 sacks
- Tyrone Crawford (defensive lineman) – 1.0 sack
Total: 17.5 sacks
If you’re shocked, you’re not alone. So am I. Between the loss of Robert Quinn, the retiring of veteran defensive tackle Michael Bennett, and letting go of various other players, the Cowboys lost more than half their sacks from last year. But hang on. Let’s add in the 2019 sacks from Dallas’s still-healthy free agent acquisitions:
- Dontari Poe (Caroline Panthers) – 4.0 sacks
- Everson Griffen (Minnesota Vikings) – 8.0 sacks
(Clinton-Dix didn’t make any sacks from his safety spot.)
That helps and brings the total up to 29.5 quarterback takedowns. That’s a little better, but still ten shy of last year’s total. Let’s bring in our rookies and Trysten Hill, who hardly played last year. What can we expect from them?