It’s impressive how Dallas has gathered such talented defensive players from various Power-5 programs.
In 2021, they secured a generational talent named Micah Parsons and an above-average starter in Osa Odighizuwa.
Some uncertainties still surround others from the same draft class, including Jabril Cox, Nahshon Wright, and Quinton Bohanna.
Notice I did not mention Kelvin Joseph. He’s a different story for a different day.
The Cowboys allocated draft capital to those positions this offseason drafting Mazi Smith, DeMarvion Overshown, and Eric Scott.
Every team has a desire to have depth within their rosters.
However, organizations can only have 53 men on an active roster and approximately 16 practice squad players.
The average NFL career is 3.3 years.
Wright, Cox, and Bohanna are approaching that mark and may be under pressure to perform well to be a part of this roster.
Jabril Cox’s versatility is a thing of beauty, when healthy
Jabril Cox has the best chance of making this roster of any of the three.
The linebacker unit is serviceable but still under construction.
Leighton Vander Esch is the lead dog of the group, with Damone Clark as the early favorite to be his running mate.
For Cox, injuries have been a part of his story, but it’s only a slice of the pie.
His rookie season was promising, but the ACL tear in week eight against the Minnesota Vikings derailed his progress.
He is approximately 21 months post-injury, which should be in his rearview mirror.
Some unproven rookies will try to pry snaps away from him, but he should be the first or second reserve linebacker outside of that.
His familiarity with the system, ability to cover, and willingness to play on special teams should bring value to this team.
Unless the former Bayou Bengal screw the pooch, he should be on this roster.
Nahshon Wright will have to FEND off newcomers to keep his spot
Nahshon Wright is a different story altogether.
Yes, he plays special teams, but that won’t protect him.
The numbers are far and away against him. He has to hold off fellow draft mate Kelvin Joseph who has his own hill to climb.
Dan Quinn wrote the starters’ names (Stephon Gilmore, Trevon Diggs, and DaRon Bland) on the depth chart in ink.
Rookies Eric Scott, Jr. and Myles Brooks are coming filled with size, athleticism, and hunger.
The last problem is Israel Mukuamu. Is he a corner or safety? He will play both this year, which doesn’t bode well for Wright.
He played in 91 coverage snaps and earned a grade of 47.4. That won’t work. Beyond the numbers, he needs to be more fluid to play the corner position.
Unless there is an untimely injury or a role Quinn has cooked up for him, I’m hard-pressed to believe he has a long-term future with Dallas.
However, I’ve been wrong before.
Dallas has upgraded Quinton Bohanna’s position twice
Quinton Bohanna is a head-scratcher in every sense of the word.
Call me crazy, but at the beginning of the 2022 season, the nose tackle job was his to lose.
After his rookie campaign, Pro Football Focus stamped him with a 29.6 out of 100 grade for run defense.
That’s with earning 222 total snaps.
While I don’t expect miracles from a 6th round pick, nor do I believe sacks from a nose tackle will be prevalent, ten solo tackles in 2 years are terrible.
Dallas didn’t use one draft pick on interior line help. They invested two.
Jonathan Hankins’ trade mid-season cost the team a 6th-round pick from this past draft.
Not to mention, Dallas drafted Mazi in the first round.
This team was screaming for run-stuffing help and couldn’t get it from Bohanna.
One excellent training camp and dominant preseason may not be enough to expand Quinton’s extended stay in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
The practice squad possibility may be just as bleak.
Bohanna and Wright have two accrued NFL seasons (9 games on the active roster).
An NFL team can only have ten players on their practice squad with two or more accrued seasons.
With limited pass-rushing abilities and two other guys playing your exact role, Quinton Bohanna may have typed his ending before training camp commenced.
Cox entered camp in ’22 just 8 months removed from ACL surgery. For a guy whose game is based on speed and change of direction being ready to go right away was crazy. Cowboy fans to a man readily give Gallup a pass on last year coming off a similar injury. Cox is a playmaker with excellent ball tracking skills. Dallas, who desperately needs a young LB to stand up, would be crazy to let a now healthy Cox go.
Great analysis! I completely agree with all three assessments. The Cowboys have no need for three 1-techniques, so I don’t see a path for Bohanna. Same with Wright in relation to competition and talent. But while I haven’t seen it with my eyes in regards to Cox’s talent yet, there is opportunity and need for him. On paper, he brings a unique skill set, but he needs to be impactful in camp and preseason games.
Quinton Bohannon has had every opportunity to be a fixture on this defense and he’s not done much with those chances. It may be time to just move on from him. He has the thing you can’t teach and that’s size, however when you refuse to use your greatest asset then it’s an indictment on you