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Dallas Cowboys: DeMarcus Ware Would Be Excellent Mentor

By Stephen Forsha

Aug 28, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Denver Broncos defensive end DeMarcus Ware (94) meets with Dallas Cowboys tackle Tyron Smith (77) after the game at AT&T Stadium. The Broncos beat the Cowboys 27-3. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 28, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Denver Broncos defensive end DeMarcus Ware (94) meets with Dallas Cowboys tackle Tyron Smith (77) after the game at AT&T Stadium. The Broncos beat the Cowboys 27-3. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports /
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The possibility of DeMarcus Ware returning to the Dallas Cowboys is there, which would be invaluable to the defense in more ways than one.

If the Dallas Cowboys are to sign free agent DeMarcus Ware and have him return to the franchise that he began his future Hall of Fame career with, it must be realized and accepted that Ware isn’t the player he was in his prime. However, he could still be valuable to the Cowboys in many aspects of being on an NFL roster.

With players like DeMarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory being suspended more than they are on the field, Ware could provide those two players with the tools and show them the maturity it takes to be a great pass rusher in the NFL. Bringing Ware back to the Cowboys at the right price would not only give Ware the end to his career that he deserves, playing for the Cowboys for a final season or two, but the expertise he brings to help out the young defensive pass rushers would be invaluable and be something no coach on the Cowboys could provide.

Imagine having the maturity of Ware and Sean Lee on the Cowboys defense that was improved, but still had more issues than solutions the longer the season went last year. If Ware can still provide quality snaps throughout a game in 2017 and stay healthy, the risk isn’t as great as many might think.

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Ware played in 10 games this past season with the Denver Broncos and hasn’t played a full 16 games since 2014. The 34-year-old will be entering his 13th season in the NFL and, in three of the past four seasons, he’s played in just 10 to 13 games per regular season. In the past two seasons, though, his numbers have dropped dramatically compared to what he used to total.

That is acceptable to a certain degree because no player in the league on the defensive line or linebacker will be able to keep up with being the player they were at 25 years old when they near their mid-30s. Ware totaled four sacks in 2016 and collected 25 tackles and 7.5 sacks during the Broncos Super Bowl championship season in 2015, playing in 11 games.

In 2016, the Cowboys sack leaders were Jack Crawford with six, Tyrone Crawford with 4.5 and David Irving with four. So it isn’t like the Cowboys have a sack machine on the roster as it is, and Jack Crawford is a free agent.

Even ESPN Insider Adam Schefter believes Ware joining the Cowboys makes sense, as he was quoted by SportsDayDallasNews.com:

"“The way Dallas is playing now, the level the Cowboys are at, he might be able to help them get to the next level. And that would be very interesting. I think that’s got a chance — we’ll see. But to me that’s very interesting and it would be fitting.”"

As for Ware being a mentor of sorts for the Cowboys defense, he’s been a part of not only a Super Bowl championship team, but he’s been around enough that he’s been able to see the ups and downs of a great season and seasons that are forgettable. Thus, he can show a young team in Dallas how to deal with the peaks and valleys both in the locker room and in the public eye.

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Granted, Ware must still be able to produce on the field. Ware has accomplished everything there is to accomplish as an NFL player, and now he has a chance to reunite with the Cowboys for one final run on a team that is poised to challenge to make a path to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 1995 season.

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