To put it bluntly, the Dallas Cowboys defensive line is absolutely decimated by injuries. Back in training camp, they lost Sam Williams to a torn ACL, and this week both Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence have gone down with serious sprains.
https://twitter.com/TomPelissero/status/1839725008458780853
After an offseason of departures, and very few additions, the Cowboys defensive front was already lacking depth.
Now that those few depth pieces have risen to the top of the lineup, there is essentially nothing behind them. We’ve seen how poorly the Dallas defense has played with their starters, so imagine how things will go with second and third stringers.
It could get ugly quickly, and given that they are already sitting at 2-2, it’s not like they can absorb a few losses while Lawrence and Parsons make their way back.
Mike Zimmer seems to have found at least a partial fix to the run defense issues, as we saw against the Giants, but the pass rush still struggled.
This leads up to the question, what are the Cowboys going to do with their defensive line issue? There are a few routes they can take, so let’s discuss each of them right now.
Parsons and Lawrence Waiting Game
The most simple solution to the Cowboys defensive line problem is not much of a solution at all. It’s waiting for both Lawrence and Parsons to return, and hope their backups can adequately fill their shoes.
Would that result in much success? I’d say absolutely not, but it is the path of least resistance for the front office.
We have seen this story before with the Cowboys: players go down, the roster is not able to compete with good teams without those players, but the organization refuses to replace them anyway.
If you’re a Cowboys fan, you have heard Jerry Jones say he “likes our guys,” and I don’t expect anything different in this situation.
There is an upside to this move, which is that it gives younger guys like Marshawn Kneeland, Chauncey Golston, and Tyrus Wheat opportunities to blossom that they otherwise would not get.
https://twitter.com/calvinwatkins/status/1839739169578308029
Additionally, with the news that Parsons may only miss one to four weeks, it may be more of a panic move to bring in a new body.
Overall, Dallas can wait Parsons and Lawrence out, but that comes with some major risks.
Consider Familiar Free Agent Option
Some will cover their eyes and plug their ears at the thought of it, but the Cowboys bringing back former friend, and arguably current foe, Randy Gregory, is far from impossible.
Dallas’ 2015 second round draft pick has had quite a tumultuous NFL career, and that has not changed this season.
Gregory, 31, has been suspended four times, including two indefinite bans.
After getting his career back on track, with the relentless backing of the Cowboys organization, the former Nebraska Cornhusker agreed to an extension and then flipped on the deal to sign the same contract with the Broncos.
Aside from Gregory burning the one reliable bridge he had, his tenure in Denver went terribly. He ended up starting in just six games and registering three sacks before being traded in 2023.
https://twitter.com/jasrifootball/status/1710378565789720789
Three years after the Dallas-contract debacle, Gregory finds himself in free agency, and the Cowboys find themselves in desperate need of pass rush depth.
Does he have anything left in the tank? I have no idea.
I also am far from sold on the idea that the organization would welcome him back after all that went down.
That said, the fact is, he is one of the best rushers on the market and would cost close to nothing. This could be worth a look for Dallas, even with all the risks, storylines, and drama behind it.