3 Possible Dallas Cowboys surprise cuts that could be made in 2020
By Randy Gurzi
3. Tyrone Crawford, Defensive End
For years, the Dallas Cowboys have had a pipeline to Boise State, where they have found a lot of their defensive stars. Back in 2012, the Cowboys found one such player in defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford, who they selected in the third round at pick No. 81 overall.
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Crawford started out his career in the Cowboys 3-4 scheme as a defensive end. He later switched to defensive tackle when they converted to a 4-3 front but has alternated since then. His versatility has been both a blessing and a curse as it’s helped keep him in the starting lineup but it has also hurt his production as he has not only had to constantly switch positions but he also has to add and drop weight to hold up wherever he’s needed.
Now heading into 2020, it looks as though Crawford will again play defensive end. With Dallas losing Robert Quinn and not drafting a replacement, Crawford could even be in line to start on the right side. Or, he could end up not being on the team at all.
While it would be hard for Dallas to rely on Aldon Smith or Randy Gregory as replacements for Crawford, there’s a real chance they could both be reinstated and play well enough to make Crawford expendable. There’s also a likelihood that Dorance Armstrong or Bradlee Anae could show enough to convince the team to move on from the veteran, which would save them an awful lot of cash.
According to OverTheCap.com. Crawford is No. 8 on the team in terms of overall salary, set to make $9.1 million this year. Should they decide to cut him, they would save $8 million of that. This is an awful lot of money to save and as long as those behind him show they can do their job, it’s something that could happen.