After spending a year with the Washington Commanders, Dante Fowler returns to the Dallas Cowboys, and honestly, I think he may be not only the most underrated player on the defense, but possibly the entire team.
During his first tenure with Dallas, Fowler had 10 sacks in two seasons.
He was also sharing snaps with DeMarcus Lawrence, Chauncey Golston, and Dorance Armstrong — all of whom are gone now. Fowler proved he could do more with added snaps, as he had 10.5 sacks for Washington last year.
More In The Tank?
Outside of trading for George Pickens and resigning Osa, bringing back Fowler was the best move the front office did this offseason.
Fowler, 30, had just a combined 17.5 sacks in the previous four seasons, two with the Atlanta Falcons and two with the Dallas before joining the Commanders.
He credited outside linebackers coach Ryan Kerrigan, the organization’s all-time sack leader, with helping him develop more as an edge rusher.
DeMarcus Lawerence left to head to the Seattle Seahawks, so Fowler now becomes the team’s second-best pass rusher behind Micah Parsons.
This defense will need him under a new defensive coordinator again.
Matt Eberflus has a lot to prove this year after he was fired as head coach of the Chicago Bears. Fortunately for Dallas, he is much better suited as a defensive coordinator than he is as a head coach.
In his first year as the Colts’ coordinator in 2018, Indianapolis went from No. 30 in points and yards allowed to No. 10 and 11, respectively. The run defense went from 26th to eighth, and the Colts did not allow a 100-yard rusher.
I would like to see what Flus will do with these guys, but the Cowboys secondary is still a problem for this defense, so they are going to need Fowler and Micah to be great this year.
Parsons will end the season with 15 sacks plus again, but they will need Fowler to hit double digits if they want to be a great defense.
Sam Williams, the second-round pick in 2022, returns from a torn ACL that cost him the entire 2024 campaign. Marshawn Kneeland was the team’s second-round selection last year, but could be in danger of being buried on the depth chart if Fowler balls out.
We will see how the summer goes, but keep an eye on the defense and how they are going to make things work. Wish their defensive tackles were a little bit better, though.
