The Dallas Cowboys have significantly overhauled their coaches, and one coaching addition will benefit two players on the defense the most.
Aaron Whitecotton, the new defensive line coach, came to the Dallas Cowboys after coaching the defensive line for the New York Jets last season.
Whitecotton was on the shortlist for several teams and was even considered for retention under the Jets’ new Head Coach, Aaron Glenn.
Their loss is the Cowboys’ gain, as this coach will bring intensity and skill to improve the young players currently under contract with the Cowboys.
Aaron Whitecotton is a Promising Coach
Aaron Whitecotton’s career started in 2013 as an assistant defensive line coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He stayed in this position until 2016.
In 2017, he became the administrative assistant to the head coach of the Buffalo Bills before becoming the assistant defensive line coach in 2018 and continuing in this role in 2019.
Whitecotton became the assistant defensive line coach for the San Francisco 49ers in 2020.
From 2021 to 2024, he was the defensive line coach for the New York Jets.
According to Cem Yolbulan of SportDFW, Whitecotton played a pivotal role in developing the Jets’ young talent during his four-year tenure.
His contributions made him one of the standout coaches the organization actively considered retaining under the new head coach, Aaron Glenn.
The Line Progressed In New York
The New York Jets defensive line progressed in the years Aaron Whitcotton was in charge of the line.
In his first year in charge of the Jets defensive line in 2021, he would coach Quinnen Williams, Sheldon Rankins, Bryce Huff, and Shaq Lawson, among others.
The 2021 defensive line would total 21 sacks, two fumbles, 293 tackles, 44 TFL (Tackles For Loss), and 69 QB hits.
In his second season, the defensive line, which includes many of the same players, would see a significant increase in most statistical categories.
The 2022 line recorded 43.5 sacks, 6 fumbles, 325 tackles, 46 TFL, and 121 QB hits.
In 2023, the defensive line succumbed to several injuries, leading to a down year for the players.
This year, the line had 25.5 sacks, four fumbles, 226 tackles, 38 TFL, and 62 QB hits.
2024 would see the defensive line come back to life.
This season, the line had 32 sacks, six fumbles, 253 tackles, 42 TFL, and 69 quarterback hits.
This is in comparison to the Dallas defensive line in 2024, which had 22.5 sacks, four fumbles, 236 tackles, 28 TFL, and 63 QB hits.
Aaron Whitecotton can help this line produce better numbers.
Two Players Who Will Benefit
Sam Williams and Marshawn Kneeland could benefit the most from Aaron Whitcotton’s coaching.
These two players, one a rookie and the other injured, did not have great years. They have shown promising ability.
Marshawn Kneeland only played in 11 games last year and started 1, but his sophomore year could show fans why he was taken in round two of the draft.
In limited action, he had one pass deflection, one fumble recovery, 14 tackles, 2 TFL, and 3 QB hits.
Whitecotton’s defensive line has been aggressive, and he will get sacks and quarterback hits. He will get his front four running on all cylinders, and in a Matt Eberflus defense, the front four are the pressure makers.
Sam Williams, who was out the entire year, showed the two seasons before that he could benefit this defense.
In 32 of 51 games, he had 8.5 sacks, 48 tackles, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, 15 TFL, 16 QB hits, and one safety. He even ended his rookie season as sixth in the NFL AP Defensive Rookie of the Year Award.
Aaron Whitecotton could help Sam Williams reach his full potential by letting the defensive line pin their ears back and go after the quarterback.
Defensive Line Rotation
Whitecotton will rotate defensive linemen at a high rate to keep the pressure on the offense.
“You can play 55 plays a game in this front, but you can’t sprint to the ball 50 times in a game,” Whitecotton told Jets reporter Eric Allen for The Official Jets Podcast. “I’m talking about guys running 50 yards to the ball to run guys down, and that’s after you set the edge on your man. Fifty times in a game, it’s diminishing returns.
This means that the Cowboys will have to invest in free agents and draft picks for the position.
The front four will need to consistently receive pressure because an Eberflus defense does not blitz much. His belief is that the front four creates the pressure, and the back end will take care of itself.
Aaron Whitecotten fits perfectly into Matt Eberflus’s defensive philosophy, and the two men should mesh quickly to get this defensive front to where it needs to be.
The front office will have to do its part to assist in the transitions, but signing in-house free agents, a few outside free agents, and getting some help through the draft will prepare the front four for a big year.