Top 5 Cowboys’ position battles heading into OTAs/training camp
3. Right Defensive End
Dorance Armstrong vs. Dante Fowler Jr. vs. Sam Williams
Jerry Jones on signing edge rushers Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler with the money they were going to spend on Randy Gregory: “I’d rather have the two than one.”
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) April 26, 2022
Jones added that he thought Gregory’s availability was an issue during his time with the Cowboys.
This might be the battle that most of us will be focusing on and for good reason. Dallas lost a very good pass rusher in Randy Gregory and they’ve done a lot of work on finding someone to replace him quickly.
Dorance Armstrong has been with the team since being drafted in 2018, so the Cowboys know what they are getting from him. He also showed a lot of improvement last season which lead to a new contract with the team. Dante Fowler Jr. has a history with defensive coordinator Dan Quinn going back to college and during his time with the Atlanta Falcons. Then, you have second-round pick Sam Williams who was personally worked out by Quinn, and someone who Quinn fought for the Cowboys to take.
All three have a different set of pass rush skills. Armstrong has been seen as a backup but there are signs that he is taking the next step and is worthy of taking over the starting position. Fowler Jr. has the most experience in the league and his time with Quinn overall can’t be overlooked. Williams looks and plays like a freak of nature and is someone who some believe wasn’t allowed to show his full potential in college thanks to the scheme he was in and how they used him. This one is a real toss-up and one that we all need to keep a very close eye on.