When it comes to the Dallas Cowboys 2020 offseason signings, Aldon Smith could be the player new Defensive Coordinator Mike Nolan could be the most excited about. Smith’s ability to be deployed in a variety of different ways could make him the ultimate chess piece in Nolan’s expected hybrid defensive scheme.
Although Mike Nolan plans on sticking to the 4-3 defensive principles in his first year as the Dallas Cowboys DC, all signs point to him mixing in some 3-4 elements as well. This kind of hybrid defense should help keep opposing offenses on their toes by varying personnel and scheme, which is a huge contrast to what they faced under the predictable and vanilla scheme of Rod Marinelli.
For scheme diverse players like Aldon Smith, Mike Nolan’s hybrid defense provides the opportunity to showcase their versatility and skill set. After his five-year hiatus from the NFL, Smith probably couldn’t landed in a better situation than he has with the Dallas Cowboys right now. Nolan’s defense provides a perfect opportunity for him to resurrect his NFL career.
Through the early parts of training camp we’ve already seen Mike Nolan get creative with the way he chooses to deploy Aldon Smith. Not only is he playing with his hand in the dirt as a traditional 4-3 defensive end, but he’s also playing as a standup 3-4 outside linebacker. That’s not surprising considering that’s what he was brought here to do, but it’s also not the only way he’s being utilized.
According to reports coming out of training camp practices, Aldon Smith has also been seen playing inside as a defensive tackle. At 6’4″, 265, Smith doesn’t fit the traditional DT mold in the NFL, so I wouldn’t expect this anything more than just a situational kind of move. This is probably an effort to get the best of the Cowboys pass rushers on the field at the same time.
The grouping of DeMarcus Lawrence and Everson Griffen at DE with Aldon Smith and probably Tyrone Crawford at DT would give the Cowboys defensive front a scary combination of athletic pass rushers. I don’t know if that’s what Mike Nolan has in mind, but it’s definitely an idea he’s toying with right now in training camp.
Surprisingly enough, I don’t think that’s the only ways we might see Aldon Smith utilized in 2020. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if we see him play a little SAM linebacker as well. He possesses the athleticism to play out in space and could be a sneaky pass rusher from the position as well. To my knowledge hasn’t played the position yet, but I wouldn’t be surprised all if it’s something we see in the future.
All in all, I fully expect Mike Nolan to use Aldon Smith as a versatile defensive chess piece throughout the 2020 season. It doesn’t matter if it’s as a traditional 4-3 DE, a 3-4 OLB, a situational DT, or as a SAM LB Smith’s ability to play any and all positions make him a perfect versatile weapon to be deployed at will.
I would absolutely love to see a side-by-side combination of Lawrence with either Smith or Griffen at DT.
In a perfect world scenario where Lawrence, Smith and Griffen all play to their highest potential, how do you handle the rotation to best maximize getting all 3 on the field w/o risking the run-stopping capability of the DL?
In that same scenario, I presume Smith would easily be the biggest off-season priority next year? Even if it means Griffen leaving for more $$$ (which is what I would predict today).
Agree with the run stopping capabilities concerns Lawrence/Griffen/Smith are not big guys. The plus is they are all known as being solid against the run (which not all pass rushers are). The negative being the 3 tech would have 320 pd guards pounding on them. In that scenario it would be imperative that Poe be in the game (and effective) and that we have a comparable back up when he isn’t like say spend that Thomas
money on D Harrison? Crawford in that scenario isn’t an option (not very often anyway) due to his lack of size. At any rate I don’t blame the coaches for wanting all those studs in the game, and Nolan will need to be creative with how he does it. Good problems to have!
You could also deploy your LB’s and SS a little differently in such formations. It would be largely a situation defensive front, but still could be fun to see …
Aldon Smith checked into training camp @ 280. Absolutely big enough to get regular snaps on the interior of a 4 man line and even as nose on a 3 man pass-rushing line.
He may have checked in at 280, but the Dallas Cowboys now have him listed at 6’4″, 265
You wouldn’t waste this kind of talent on the nose. He’s not built for it. He too tall for one and too athletic to have those skills neutralized by playing him out of position.
Well I think Nolan will devise creative ways to get all 3 on the field at times, including as “ghost ” said using LBs and SS in different ways. But none of those have ever played much on the interior and aren’t really built for that punishment from mammoth guards. But with that said I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see all three on the field at times. They are too good not to use them.
6’4 285lbs…
6’4″, 265 according to the Dallas Cowboys website
He’s over 280 – no way they can stop all 3 of those guys with Poe in the middle to handle the draw.
I think it would be crazy to put Tank, Smith, Griffen and Crawford in the lineup at once, I think we’ll need at least one pure DT!! So with that being said, it would be better to have Tank, Smith, Griffen and Poe in the lineup together so we’ll have at least one big space eater on the field with the rest of the DEs!! I know Smith is almost big enough to be a 3 tech, but since he’s a DE, it would still make more sense to have a big DT in the lineup with him and the other DEs!!
Yea Poe would have to be in the game with that line up. The only exception maybe being obvious passing downs then maybe Crawford. Size isn’t the only consideration. None of those 3 have exp playing DT and it’s a completely different position to master technique wise. That said I’m sure Nolan will find ways to get all 3 on the field often.
Simply put, down-and-distance will dictate the opportunities …
Imagine if David Irving had stayed with the team..or if Gerald McCoy had not gotten injured? Scary!