Five Dallas Cowboys who are turning heads at training camp
Aldon Smith, DE
After spending nearly five years out of the NFL, no one quite knew what to expect from former All-Pro pass rusher Aldon Smith. Even the Cowboys secured themselves some pass-rushing insurance by signing defensive end Everson Griffen recently.
Still, the news coming out of training camp about Smith has been very promising. Only 30-years old, the former first-rounder is apparently in terrific physical shape. And he’s done enough in training camp so far to please new head coach Mike McCarthy.
How impressive has Aldon Smith been for the #Cowboys? Coach Mike McCarthy told reporters: "If you walked away from practice, you would say, ‘Hey, who the hell is No. 58?’ You can see his power, his length is extraordinary. ...I’m very happy with where Aldon is right now.”
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 20, 2020
The truth is, the Cowboys took a risk signing Smith to a one-year deal worth up to $4 million. But it’s a gamble that has the potential to pay off big time.
Dallas lost their leading sack artist from last season in Robert Quinn. The veteran defender racked up 11.5 sacks for the Cowboys in 2019 and got a giant payday from the Chicago Bears as a free agent this offseason.
Now, Dallas appears to have a solid pass-rushing combo in Aldon Smith and Everson Griffen on the right side of their line to replace Quinn’s lost production. And the fact they have a Pro Bowler in defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence coming off the left side will only aid their cause.