The Dallas Cowboys have a pass-rush problem they need to figure out, and I don’t think it is as simple as looking at sack totals.
That’s where people can get fooled.
A player can have a few sacks and still not be someone who consistently wins. Another player can have a lower sack number, but create pressure over and over again.
For Dallas, I think this comes down to one question.
Who can actually help this defense get to the quarterback?
The numbers show a pretty clear gap.
Rashan Gary is the Cleanest Answer
If I’m looking at this group and trying to find the safest pass-rush answer, Rashan Gary is the name that stands out.
Gary had 60 pressures on 446 pass-rush snaps in 2025. That gives him a 13.5% pressure rate. He also had 7 sacks, 13 quarterback hits, and 40 hurries.
Those numbers matter because they show more than just flash. Gary was not just lucking into sacks. He was affecting the quarterback.
His true finish rate was 11.7%, and his impact pressure rate was 4.5%.
That’s solid.
What makes Gary different from the rest of this group is his career in the NFL. He has a 14.5% career pressure rate and a 15.5% true finish rate in the numbers I looked at.
If the Cowboys want someone who can step in and raise the floor right away, Rashan Gary is the guy I would feel best about.
James Houston is the Upside Swing
James Houston is not as safe as Rashan Gary, but his numbers as a pass rusher are hard to ignore.
In 2025, Houston had 25 pressures on 182 pass-rush snaps, which translates to a 13.7% pressure rate.
That’s right there with Rashan Gary, but the difference is James Houston’s finish rate.
Houston had 6 sacks on those 25 pressures. That gave him a true 24.0% finish rate. He also had 10 quarterback hits, which pushed his impact pressure rate to 8.8%.
I think that is the kind of number that should make fans take a double take.
I know the sample is smaller because of Houston’s 397 career pass-rush snaps. That’s why I can’t put him in the same safe bucket as Gary.
But, if Dallas wants a pass-rush piece who can turn pressure into negative plays, Houston has some juice.
He may not be the answer as a full-time edge, but as a rush-package weapon, I would be interested.
Donovan Ezeiruaku Has Something to Work With
Donovan Ezeiruaku is one of the young guns the Cowboys want to take the next step as a pass rusher in 2026.
He has the tools, now he just needs the numbers.
In 2025, he had 36 pressures on 343 pass-rush snaps, which comes ut to a 10.5% pressure rate. That’s not great, but it’s not bad either.
The issue in his young career is finishing.
Ezeiruaku had 2 sacks on those 36 pressures, which gave him a 5.6% true finish rate.
What that tells me is he can create some pressure, but he isn’t consistently closing the deal. His impact pressure rate was 4.1%, so there is something there. I just don’t think Dallas can act like he’s the solution to their sack problem.
Sam Williams Needs A Rebound Year
Sam Williams may be the most frustrating.
His career numbers aren’t bad. He has 70 pressures on 654 pass-rush attempts, giving him a 10.7% career pressure rate. Just slightly higher than Donovan Ezeiruaku.
His career finish rate is 14.3%. That should give you a reason to still believe there is something untapped, but his 2025 numbers weren’t good enough.
Williams had 24 pressures on 270 pass-rush snaps for an 8.9% pressure rate. Finishing the season with only 1 sack and 4 quarterback hits. That’s a concern for me, injuries or not.
His true finish rate dropped to 4.2%, and most of his pressures were hurries.
The Cowboys can not pencil Sam Williams in as a reliable pass rusher and call it good.
The Depth Pieces Tell a Different Story
This is where I think the Cowboys have to be careful.
Isaiah Land only has 72 career pass-rush snaps with a career pressure rate of 8.3%. That’s not enough for me to sell him as anything more than a developmental depth piece.
Tyrus Wheat is another one of those depth pieces. He finished well when he got home, but did not get home enough. His 2025 true finish rate was 66.7%, but that came on 3 pressures. His career pressure rate is 7.8%.
Marist Liufau is a different type of player. He’s not a true edge rusher, but more of a pressure linebacker. His career pressure rate is 20.5%, which looks great, but it came on only 88 pass-rush snaps.
I like Liufau as a blitzer. I don’t like him as an answer to the pass-rush woes.
The College Names are Solely Based on Projection
Malachi Lawrence and LT Overton are worth talking about, but they have to be viewed the right way.
Lawrence had a 17.5% pressure rate at UCF in 2025, and had a 22.1% career true finish rate.
I think that’s impressive, but it is also still college production.
Overton is different because he brings versatility. He can play defensive tackle and defensive end, which adds to his value.
He had a 20.8% true finish rate, but his pressure rate was 9.7%.
I like LT Overton as a defensive line chess piece, but i don’t see him as the top pure edge answer.
Pressure Rate Tiers Show the Gap
This is where I make the Cowboys pass-rush picture much clearer.
Here is how I broke down the tiers based off of some of the best pass rushers in the NFL.
- Elite NFL pass rusher: 18% or higher
- High-end starter: 15% to 17.9%
- Good/solid rusher: 12% to 14.9%
- Rotational/developmental: 9% to 11.9%
- Depth and concern: Below 9%
This should give you some context.
Micah Parsons is the elite marker at 18.1% pressure rate in 2025, and his career rate is 18.8%. That is the kind of number that changes how an offense has to play.
- Will Anderson Jr.: Was even higher at 19.3%
- Jaelan Phillips: 17.4%
- Nick Herbig: 13.3%, but had a 16.7 true finish rate
- TJ Watt: 10.0%, but his true finish rate is 23.0%
Now, when you go back and stack that against the Cowboys pass rushers, does it make you feel better about our pass-rush in 2026?
Mind the gap the Cowboys pass rushers have to overcome.
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