3 Players Dallas Cowboys can unload at trade deadline for 2021 rebuild
By Randy Gurzi
3. Tyrone Crawford, Defensive Tackle
A former third-round pick in 2012, Tyrone Crawford is one of the longest-tenured players on the Cowboys and he’s also been one of the most underappreciated in his career.
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A versatile defensive lineman, Crawford spent much of his career bouncing from defensive end to defensive tackle and he kept performing well no matter where he lined up — but he never filled up the stat sheets which is why he never got the love he deserved.
Unfortunately, having said all these things about the veteran, 2020 has not been kind to Crawford. In seven games, he has just five tackles and has not stood out at any point. Of course, he is recovering from hip surgery that cost him 12 games last season, which could explain his slow start. It could also be that he’s not a great fit in Mike Nolan’s defensive system.
If opposing teams believe Crawford is simply not a fit, there could be a chance Dallas could get something in return. Perhaps a team needing a player who can stop the run as a defensive end — which is Crawford’s specialty — would be happy to add him for a playoff push.
Should Dallas be able to unload Crawford, it would get his $9.1 million salary off the books this season and while they’ve already paid some of that, every bit of savings they can get now will help as they look toward the future since cap space can be rolled over.