Over the course of the 2020 offseason, we didn’t hear much in the way of news or reports about Antwaun Woods and a contract. He was an exclusive rights free agent and so the Cowboys could just sit and wait for him to show up to camp, which he did.
After the Cowboys spent money and signed Dontari Poe and Gerald McCoy and then spent a draft pick on a defensive tackle for the second year in a row, there was some question as to what Woods’ role might be and if he’d even make the roster out of training camp.
Gerald McCoy was hurt in training camp. Trysten Hill went down early in the season. Dontari Poe was released. After eight weeks, Antwaun Woods remained as the lone veteran option for the Cowboys on the interior aside from defensive end, often used as a defensive tackle, Tyrone Crawford.
Antwaun Woods has been good this year, first in limited snaps and now in a full-time role. His versatility to play both the 1 and 3 techniques allows the Cowboys a bit of flexibility in their defensive fronts.
Per Pro Football Focus, Antwaun Woods is third among the interior defenders in run stop percentage behind Trysten Hill and Neville Gallimore, but he’s played significantly more snaps than either of those guys in 2020. Woods is second on the team in Pro Football Focus’ “stops” metric, which are tackles that resulted in a “loss for the offense.” Woods is the lone interior defensive lineman for the Cowboys to register a sack this season.
Antwaun Woods started the season backing up Dontari Poe at the 1 technique defensive tackle spot and getting some run at the 3 technique. Now, Woods has an opportunity to raise his value as he’ll get a vast majority of those 1 tech defensive tackle snaps.
Woods will head into this offseason as a restricted free agent and the Cowboys will have a long discussion about which tender to place on their nose tackle. With as good as he’s been for the Cowboys, they’ll make sure he returns again in 2021. Even if in a similar depth position like he started this year, Woods provides a ton of value as someone who can rotate in at both defensive tackle spots.
