Dallas Cowboys Depth Chart

Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn will bring some scheme changes in his new gig after being fired by the Atlanta Falcons after an 0-5 start to the 2020 season. He has long been associated with the 4-3, Cover 3 style of defense that made him famous with the Seattle Seahawks, and it's also very similar to the scheme Rod Marinelli and Kris Richard ran for two years in Dallas. A lot of those elements will remain with Quinn, but he plans on implementing new looks as well. Quinn said the Cowboys base look would resemble more of a 3-4. Dallas spent plenty of draft capital on the defensive side of the ball in this year's draft, and first-round linebacker Micah Parsons (12th overall) should team well with DeMarcus Lawrence, Leighton Vander Esch and Jaylon Smith. Quinn's defenses in Atlanta never lived up to expectations, and while they have the talent in Dallas, time will tell whether Quinn's new tweaks will mesh well with the team's current personnel.

3 days ago

The Dallas Cowboys are waiving starting defensive tackle Antwaun Woods on Wednesday, according to a source. Woods becomes a salary cap casualty after the Cowboys selected defensive tackles Osa Odighizuwa in the third round and Quinton Bohanna in the sixth round of last week's NFL draft. Woods started 32 games for Dallas from 2018 through last season and was set to make $2.1 million under the restricted free-agent tender. He had 33 tackles, one sack and four QB pressures in 14 games (seven starts) last season. The 6-foot-1, 310-pounder was more of a fit in former defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli's scheme. Dallas also waived cornerback Saivion Smith after the team selected corners Kelvin Joseph (second round) and Nahshon Wright (third round) in the draft. The Cowboys also released center Adam Redmond, defensive tackle Walter Palmore, defensive end LaDarius Hamilton and cornerback Kemon Hall.

9 days ago

The Dallas Cowboys will not exercise linebacker Leighton Vander Esch's fifth-year option for the 2022 season due to ongoing salary cap uncertainty. They will instead hope to sign Vander Esch to a contract extension before his current deal expires following the 2021 season. While the Cowboys could still retain LVE beyond next season, it doesn't come as a surprise after the team selected Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons in the first round last Thursday. Vander Esch had 60 tackles last season, but he struggled in coverage and has a rather long injury history. The 25-year-old will need to stay healthy and bounce back in a contract year if he wants to remain in big D. The Cowboys invested heavily in the defensive side of the ball in this year's draft, so Vander Esch must perform if he wants to be part of the rebuild.

11 days ago

With the 179th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys have selected Stanford wide receiver Simi Fehoko. The big-bodied receiver had 37 catches last year for 574 yards and three touchdowns. He set the school's single-game reception record with 16 catches against UCLA. The Cowboys have three strong receivers on their team, but with Michael Gallup's future beyond 2021 in question because of financial concerns, Fehoko is an intriguing dynasty stash. He's still got some developing to do with his route running, but the skill is there for him to be a solid outside receiver.

13 days ago

The Dallas Cowboys selected Oregon State cornerback Nahshon Wright with the No. 99 overall pick in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft on Friday night. Wright's size and length is what made him appealing to NFL teams at 6-foot-4, 188 pounds, but he wasn't expected to come off the board until Day 3. He'll need to do a better job of recognizing and sitting on underneath routes at the next level. Wright also lacks top-end speed, so he could struggle to cover fast receivers deeper down the field. He's clearly a developmental project in Dallas' secondary as they continue to address their defense and add depth.

14 days ago