Where the Dallas Cowboys will improve, where they won’t in 2019
By Randy Gurzi
Better: Pass Rush
Getting DeMarcus Lawrence back and happy was huge for the Cowboys. However, it wasn’t going to be enough to enter 2019 with him as the only talented edge rusher. Instead, they needed to get someone to play on the right side who could challenge offensive linemen — and that need intensified when Randy Gregory was suspended indefinitely.
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While Gregory hadn’t been starting, he was providing solid pressure off the bench and had six sacks on the season. With his status uncertain, Dallas made a bold move to go after Robert Quinn who spent last season with the Miami Dolphins.
For just a sixth-round pick in 2020, they ended up landing Quinn and he will slide right in as the starter for Dallas opposite Lawrence. While Quinn has battled back issues in his career, he’s still a presence off the edge and has missed just one game the past two seasons while registering 15 sacks in that span of time.
In addition to Quinn, Dallas added defensive tackle Trysten Hill in the draft who could line up as the under tackle and provide a push from the interior. There’s also free agent additions Christian Covington and Kerry Hyder Jr. Covington had a career-high 3.5 sacks in a rotational role for Houston last season and Hyder wasn’t a great fit in Matt Patricia’s defense in Detroit but had eight sacks in 2016 before missing all of 2017 with a torn Achilles.
All the additions don’t fare well for former first-round pick Taco Charlton, but it does show that the front office was serious about getting better at attacking opposing signal-callers.