Predicting the Dallas Cowboys final roster in early training camp

Dallas Cowboys roster: Defensive Line (11)

There’s going to be a lot of change to the Cowboys defensive line this season as they lost Robert Quinn and Maliek Collins and brought in a few new faces to replace them.

DeMarcus Lawrence, Tyrone Crawford: Starting EDGE

DeMarcus Lawrence has become the face of the Cowboys defense and despite having just five sacks last season, he really had a good year for Dallas. Lawrence said the numbers will increase this season and chances are they will — but the fact is, he’s much more than just a quarterback sack artist. He’s a complete defensive end that can do it all.

Dallas did lose Robert Quinn who led them in sacks last season but they’re still in good hands with Tyrone Crawford — provided he’s healthy. Crawford had double hip surgery and as long as he’s healthy, he will get the job done.

He won’t generate the high number of sacks Quinn could but Crawford is able to shift inside on third downs and remain effective while allowing them to use a rotational pass rusher as well. The Cowboys really need him to be healthy this season as Crawford is one of the more underappreciated defensive linemen in the game.

Gerald McCoy, Dontari Poe: Starting tackles

Dallas added Gerald McCoy and Dontari Poe in the offseason, bringing them both over from the Carolina Panthers. McCoy is going to replace Maliek Collins who was greatly underappreciated and Poe will be the nose tackle, a position they haven’t given enough attention to for a long time.

Aldon Smith, Joe Jackson, Bradlee Anae, Dorance Armstrong: Reserve EDGE

Aldon Smith hasn’t played in more than four years but was a monster early on in his career, before his demons led him astray. Should he prove to be in shape, this could be a good signing. He doesn’t have a lot of competition as Joe Jackson has hardly seen the field, Dorance Armstrong is still developing, and Bradlee Anae is a fifth-round rookie. There are a lot of unknowns behind Lawrence and Crawford but there’s some raw talent.

Neville Gallimore, Trysten Hill, Antwaun Woods: Reserve DTs

Neville Gallimore was a steal in the third round and he could make Trysten Hill superfluous. The second-round pick from 2019 was a “pet cat” of Rod Marinelli but with him gone, Hill might have a hard time seeing the field. Antwaun Woods was the starting nose tackle and bringing him back was a huge plus for them as it gives them some very talented depth in the middle of their defensive line.