John Williams
If you take a look at the current state of the Dallas Cowboys depth chart, you can’t help but notice the gaping hole in the middle of the defensive line. Of all the position groups it’s the biggest area of concern for the Cowboys with just under a month until free agency starts.
Not long ago, I explored potential options in free agency for the Dallas Cowboys to pursue at the defensive tackle position. With news coming down yesterday that the Detroit Lions released Damon “Snacks” Harrison, add one more name to the list that the Cowboys should take a run at in free agency.
This is PURE
Damon Harrison is:
a stud on every injury report since wk 8 w groin, knee, calf & shoulder injuries but missed only 1 game
a man who LOVES football: I never cheated the game a day in my life. I gave it everything I had even when it wasn’t good enough pic.twitter.com/yC8Mczp5oU
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) February 21, 2020
There are few players who have been as impactful in the interior of a defense as Harrison has been throughout his career. Though he’d argue 2019 was a down year, among players who played at least 74 run snaps, Harrison was 18th in the NFL in run-stop percentage per Pro Football Focus. From 2013 to 2018, “Snacks” never finished lower than fourth in the NFL. He’s arguably been the best run-defending defensive tackle over the last decade in the NFL.
Damon Harrison is 31, which would generally be a concern when targeting a free agent, but he’s been one of the most durable players in his time in the NFL. In 2019 he missed one game. That was the first time he wasn’t available for a game since his rookie season.
The Dallas Cowboys have struggled to consistently stop the run over the last several years and Harrison could be the answer to the issues that have plagued them in the middle of the defense. With major investments in linebackers Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch, finding defensive tackles who can plug up the middle and keep blockers from getting to the second level needs to be a priority. Despite his age, there’s no player on the market that can make the kind of impact in the run game that Damon Harrison can.
From 2015 to 2018, Harrison led all defensive tackles in the NFL in Pro Football Focus’ “stops,” which is a play that results in a loss for the offense.
Currently, the Cowboys are returning just two defensive tackles who played any snaps of significance in Trysten Hill and Tyrone Crawford. It’s likely that restricted free agent Antwaun Woods will be back with the team unless someone signs him to an offer sheet the Cowboys aren’t interested in matching.
Though Antwaun Woods will likely be back, Harrison would be a massive upgrade in the middle of the Cowboys defensive line. His leadership, experience, and heart are the intangibles this defense sorely needs moving forward.
Though he was scheduled to make $8.5 million in 2020 with the Lions, it’s possible that he’d be willing to take less to join a team that will contend in 2020.
The Cowboys need to retool their defense and find some areas they can improve like at defensive tackle and Damon Harrison is just the player who can help improve their run game tremendously.
I’ve been wanting snacks for a while now, and now he’s a free agent…. I really hope we can get him!!
He’d be a big guy to stop the run and the boys need help there drastically DC4LIFE!!!
Pass!
We need more snaps out of our players. Talent on sideline don’t win SB’s.
In fact, I’ll take Mike Bennett over Snacks!
Someone who can elevate the “group”, be productive and inject some “nasty” into defensive front.
Hell, I’ll take either Collins and Woods over him.
But, bringing in someone with track record of being injured means extra roster spot is mandatory at same position. Couple that with LB and OL… you get an 8-8 team, again.
If affordable, he becomes “good piece”… but, we need to find “the piece”…
a Tank Johnson
a La’Roi Glover
And I’m sure he’s still a high-ask salary wise.
I want to give Snacks a hug, but I’m afraid he’d mistake me for a giant graham cracker.
Lol. He looks like a guy who gives the best hugs but could also crush you because he got too into it.
A DRAFT TO FIX DALLAS AFTER FREE AGENCY 17: R1P17
WR HENRY RUGGS III
ALABAMA
51: R2P19
EDGE JAMES LYNCH
BAYLOR
82: R3P18
LB AKEEM DAVIS-GAITHER
APPALACHIAN STATE
120: R4P17
TE HARRISON BRYANT
FLORIDA ATLANTIC
164: R5P18
DL RASHARD LAWRENCE
LSU
179: R5P33
CB AMIK ROBERTSON
LOUISIANA TECH
231: R7P17
S DOUGLAS COLEMAN
TEXAS TECH
He just needs a fresh start. Look into him for a good price
I think so. I’m sure getting int a 3-4 front probably didn’t help matter for him.