Cowboys free agent moves on the defensive line show they are serious about taking the ball away

The Cowboys appear to be really focusing on defense so far.

The defense of the Dallas Cowboys took a nice step forward when Dan Quinn arrived in 2021. During his time with the team, the defense was one of the better squads in the NFL in generating pressure and taking the ball away. Quinn left for a head coaching job in Washington and the team replaced him with former Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. Under Zimmer, the defense played admirably considering how decimated they were with injuries. It was a mixed bag with both outstanding and atrocious play by the defense last year.

The Cowboys have again changed out their defensive coordinator and brought back another former Cowboys coach, Matt Eberflus, who was their linebackers coach from 2011-2017. Eberflus will try to make this defense stronger. A few weeks ago he was asked by the Cowboys media how he could get the defensive line to a championship level.

“It’s really about getting the depth that we need. We’ve had some free agents leave us over the last couple of years. There are some good pieces that are there to work from. It’s exciting to be able to look at that in the future in terms of the draft and acquiring other players that are special talent guys and we’re excited to get that done.”

It’s good to see Eberflus acknowledge how depth along the defensive line has presented some challenges for Dallas in recent years. The Cowboys had seven defensive linemen with at least two sacks in 2023, and four of those players were not available last year.

• Dorance Armstrong (free agency)
• Dante Fowler (free agency)
• Sam Williams (injury)
• Jonathan Hankins (free agency)

And attrition is at work again this year. The Cowboys had six defensive linemen with at least two sacks last year, and four of them are not on the team this year.

• DeMarcus Lawrence (free agency)
• Chauncey Golston (free agency)
• Carl Lawson (unsigned)
• Linval Joseph (unsigned)

Unlike last year, the Cowboys aren’t sitting on their hands in free agency to replace the players they’ve lost. We’re only one week into free agency and the Cowboys have already made the following additions.

• Signed Dante Fowler to a one-year deal
• Signed Solomon Thomas to a two-year deal
• Signed Payton Turner to a one-year deal

Add in the four-year, $80 million deal that Osa Odighizuwa got a week ago, and suddenly the Cowboys have some bodies. And don’t forget that Sam Williams returns after sitting out all last year with a knee injury.

The Cowboys have a good assortment of pass rushers, but creating pressure hasn’t been the issue for this defense. Of course, it helps when you have one of the best defensive players in the league in Micah Parsons on the roster. The Cowboys have finished in the top three in sacks in two of the last three years. What’s impressive about that stat is that one of those years was last year, where they had to reach deep down the depth chart to get help.

While the pass rush was still there, the Cowboys have seen a drop off in creating turnovers over the last two years. In 2021 and 2022, the Cowboys defense led the league in takeaways, but in each of the past two seasons, they have finished outside the top 10. That is something the defense would love to get back. Eberflus was asked what concept or philosophy is the hallmark of his defense and he was quick to respond.

“It’s pretty simple. We take the ball away. That’s what we do.”

And when you look at the pieces they have combined with the pieces they’ve added, that’s not just lip service. It appears they are making a concerted effort to have players who not only can get to the quarterback, but have the ability to attack the ball and jostle it loose.