5 cheap additions for the Dallas Cowboys this offseason
834. . . . Gregory Rousseau, DE. 3. player
The Cowboys need to have a strong defensive line. It is the key to improving their league-worst run defense. That is also something the team has struggled with the past couple of seasons.
The team signed defensive end Aldon Smith this past offseason, but it was only a one-year deal. His expiring contract and impressive play put him in line for a raise. That is something Dallas may not be willing to do.
While he doesn’t have the same impact as Smith, defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford’s contract is up. He plays on the inside and the edge of the defensive line, but Dallas might not be able to fit him on their payroll.
While he is sure to earn less than the $9 million per year on his expiring contract, the team needs to save every penny they can. That means the team will be down another edge rusher.
Instead of paying up to re-sign the two players listed, they can draft one of the top defensive linemen in the draft. That is Gregory Rousseau of the Miami Hurricanes.
He is a quarterback’s worst nightmare. The 6-foot-7 monster brought down opposing quarterbacks a whopping 15.5 times in 2019. The only player with more was Chase Young. Unfortunately, we can’t look at his performance this season since he was one of the many college players to opt-out.
The Cowboys don’t have one player on their roster with 7.5 sacks. That is an issue for the team. The team leader is DeMarcus Lawrence, who finished the season with 6.5 sacks.
The team is tied for 20th in the NFL for sacks. Guess the team that shares the 20th spot with Dallas. It is the New York Jets.
Adding Rousseau will give them a lethal threat on the opposite side of Lawrence. Poor Lawrence has been double and triple-teamed for the past couple of seasons and has not gotten much help.
Adding Rousseau and the return of defensive tackle Trysten Hill will make the team’s pass-rush better. But with the Dallas Cowboys drafting at the 10th overall spot, the Miami product could be off the board. If by chance he is still there, Jerry Jones should strongly consider taking him.