Injuries plagued the Dallas Cowboys' defense for the entirety of the 2024 season during a year where a new defensive coordinator, with a scheme known for being complicated, joined the team. It was a recipe for disaster early on despite a late resurgence from injured players returning and the eventual comfort in the scheme settling in.
Heading into the 2025 regular season, there are many changes on the horizon, which will only cause more uncertainty. An expected change in the defensive coaching staff is coming due to a new head coach entering the picture, and five notable players being pending free agents.
It's not a comfortable situation for the Cowboys.
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Mike Zimmer is one of the brightest defensive minds in the NFL today, for better or worse. It's difficult for players to adjust to his scheme, but when played according to his rules, it can tie up any offense. He was coaching on a one-year stint, tied to the expiration of head coach Mike McCarthy's contract.
A rough start to the season was salvaged by depth players settling in and becoming accustomed to the deadly yet sensitive Zimmer scheme. They forced a turnover in 13 of 17 games, and six with two or more. One could only wonder how the unit would have played if the top talent was not sitting on injured reserve.
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Edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence played in four games this past season, the lowest in his 11-year career. Despite that, the veteran earned 3.0 sacks and forced a fumble. Tank channeled his former pass-rushing prowess in his limited action after putting together disappointing production for five consecutive seasons.
On the interior of the defensive line, Osa Odighizuwa gave the Cowboys stability against the pass and run. The third-round pick out of UCLA is coming off his rookie contract as the leader in games played, and second in impact behind superstar Micah Parsons among Dallas' draft class. His 33 pressures are the third-most among interior defensive linemen in 2024.
While he didn't have as many impact plays, nor is he of a similar caliber, Chauncey Golston is a versatile option that most defenses would love to have on their team. Stepping up in the absence of Lawrence and Parsons, Golston recorded a career-high in sacks (5.5) and tackles (56), and had a feel for getting his hands up to disrupt passes, knocking down five.
With offenses utilizing the slot to get their receivers open, it has become a critical part of every defense. Dallas has been privileged to have Jourdan Lewis hold the middle down, owning the fifth-lowest cover EPA from the start of the year to mid-November. His coverage in 2024 was up there with the likes of Quinyon Mitchell and Devon Witherspoon.
Controlling the defense is one of the most important tasks. Those duties were given to Eric Kendricks to start the season due to his familiarity with spending seven seasons with Zimmer in Minnesota. Not only did he play like the stabilizing force the Cowboys needed, but he brought the defense together and deserves a lot of credit for the late-season resurgence.
A new coordinator, aging veterans, and five players the team would love to keep possibly testing free agency. If you were nervous heading into the 2024 season, buckle up. There's a lot of hope that must swing the right way for things to end on a positive note.
That's not to say that it is impossible. The drastic jump from the horrific 2020 defense to having Dan Quinn turn everything around in 2021 shows anything is possible. The ball is in the hands of owner and general manager, Jerry Jones.