3 Cowboys who could lose starting job to a rookie in 2022
By Jerry Trotta
2. Carlos Watkins
Watkins started 14 games for the Cowboys last campaign, but he only played 43 percent of the snaps given the emergence of rookie Osa Odighizuwa and Neville Gallimore, who returned from injury for the final five games of the year.
It’s unclear how the defensive tackle rotation will shake out this offseason, but Watkins’ starting job is no longer secure following the selection of Arkansas space-eater John Ridgeway in the fifth round. While Ridgeway could lose snaps on passing downs, the 6-foot-5, 321-pound behemoth is a prototypical nose tackle who could force his way into the starting lineup given how disruptive he is against the run.
Simply put, the former Razorback is a bully who refuses to give up ground in the trenches and will force opposing ball-carriers to bounce outside … where the likes of Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, Dante Fowler and Jayron Kearse, when he’s lined up in the box, will be waiting to pounce.
This isn’t to say Watkins will completely lose his spot in the rotation, but the upside Ridgeway offers as a run defender might be too intriguing to pass up for Dan Quinn after Dallas allowed 112.8 rushing yards per game in 2021.