Dallas Cowboys: What kind of defensive line options do they have now?

It was gutwrenching to hear the news about Dallas Cowboys‘ defensive end, DeMarcus Lawrence, as he will be unavailable for a reported 6-8 weeks. NFL players have not done well coming back from a broken foot.

The common reader might be confused with that statement but all I will say for now is former Cowboys wideout Dez Bryant was never the same player after his foot injury. Add former Atlanta Falcon and current Tennesee Titan Julio Jones to that list as well. Serviceable yes, the same player, questionable.

Either way, the Cowboys have to make a decision regarding DeMarcus Lawrence and his future here in Dallas. No, I am not getting rid of “tank” just yet but he does need help. Lawrence regularly goes against every team’s right tackle’s who are usually bigger and stronger than their blind-side counterpart. On the flip side, a team’s best pass rushers are often matched up against the all-world left tackle’s of the league.

Tank is arguably the best run-stopping defensive end in the entire league. He provides adequate pressure from his spot but I think Dallas fans are asking for double-digit sacks from Lawrence after breaking the bank in free agency.  I cannot disagree with them but I do know how valuable Tank is to this team.

The Cowboys had an obvious need at defensive end and it only took one injury to show the world that they were not prepared to handle injuries of any sort at the position. Early training camp reports indicated that defensive end Randy Gregory was unblockable but it only took one game for people to turn on that narrative.

I took a look at the available pickings at defensive linemen throughout the NFL and the Cowboys have multiple options yet I believe it is the same song same story with the majority of them. The Cowboys have to once again sell hope by bringing in a big name that might be well past their prime of pay big for a player in his prime.

Dallas Cowboys: Free agents

The Cowboys love to go Bargain bin shopping so I would imagine they have a list of players they have considered on speed dial. The problem is the team and player have to go through Covid protocols even before the player can practice with the team.

At this point of the week, it is highly unlikely any player could come in and even be available to interact with other players let alone play on Sunday in Los Angeles. Pass rusher Olivier Vernon is probably the best of the bunch after coming off of a good season for Cleveland last season. Vernon started 13 games last season notching nine sacks and 16 quarterback hits.

Vernon will turn 31 in early October and could possibly be a savior for the Cowboys especially in pass-rush situations. Vernon is coming off a ruptured Achilles tendon in Week 17 last season. He was placed on injured reserve this past January meaning he is still just 8 months into his recovery.

Vernon could be an option later this season but he is definitely not available at this point. I would even go as far as saying DeMarcus Lawrence is closer to playing than Vernon is. Another option is a name that most Cowboy fans cringe at when they hear the name but he is available. Defensive end Adrian Clayborn is a former Atlanta Falcon who played for Dan Quinn. Clayborn is best remembered for destroying the backup Cowboys tackles en route to a career-high six-sack performance.

Clayborn might not be able to generate six sacks again but he is a savvy veteran who could be a stopgap until Lawrence returns. I question if it is even worth bringing Lawrence back this season as a broken foot can be extremely tricky.

Vic Beasley, Bruce Irvin, and Ezekiel Ansah are all options the team could go after but these guys are free agents for a reason. I know this team is desperate for help when I see Cowboys fans on social media asking the team to bring back former Cowboys defensive end Taco Charlton. As much as Cowboys owner Jerry Jones loves a comeback story, I’m not sure the team is at the point where bringing back arguably their biggest draft bust in team history is an option.