With training camp fast approaching, questions still surround the Dallas Cowboys' pass rush despite the team’s defensive overhaul this offseason. One Cowboys insider believes that the position remains a significant area of uncertainty.

During an episode of Locked On Cowboys on July 9, hosts Marcus Mosher and Landon McCool discussed the lack of proven depth at the edge rusher position, though they believe the revamped interior defensive line could help generate pressure.

“If we're talking about pure edge rushers winning one-on-one situations, I think you have an argument that we don't have a lot of certainty there,” McCool said during the Locked on Podcast. "[But] if you start talking about what the Cowboys have on the interior, and their ability to hopefully create double teams or...free those guys up so everyone's getting one-on-ones - I think that helped last year."

McCool noted Rashan Gary's inconsistent production, Donovan Ezeiruaku's recovery from hip surgery, and rookie Malachi Lawrence's inexperience as part of the edge rusher concerns.

However, he believes that the interior defensive line, with Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark, could provide enough disruption and anchor the new 3-4 defensive scheme.

"They were terrible at stopping the run, and coverage was absolutely atrocious," McCool said in the same Locked on Cowboys podcast. "The coverage is why they kept getting punished in the passing game. Yes, the pass rush was okay, but okay isn't going to do it when you have maybe the worst coverage in the NFL."

The Cowboys generated 251 pressures, the eighth-most in the league, but converted them into just 35 sacks, tied for No. 22 in the league.

Though the Cowboys finished top 10 in pressures and in the top half of pass rush win rate last year, McCool believes these stats are meaningless in context, as weak coverage often lets quarterbacks release the ball before pressure could affect the play.

McCool believes adding a proven veteran could become necessary if the Cowboys' young edge rushers fail to develop into reliable contributors.

Cowboys still lack a proven difference-maker off the edge

McCool and Mosher discussed further during the same Locked on Cowboys podcast on July 9 about the possibility of adding a veteran to the pass rush unit.

"There are things Parker can do to help a little bit here and there, but if you have got a systemic issue and you're not getting the pressure you need, that's probably something that's gonna need to be solved through personnel," McCool said on the same podcast.

McCool drew examples of Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, and DeMarcus Ware as Cowboys players who were best at getting to the QB regardless of whether it resulted in a sack or not.

If the Cowboys still lack a proven edge rusher who can win one-on-one battles on passing downs, McCool believes that the Cowboys may eventually be pushed to add an elite pass rusher to fill that gap.

Should the Cowboys rely on their young developmental rushers, or is it time to bring in a proven veteran off the edge to secure this defense? Let us know in the comments!

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Written by

Archana Ramakrishnan

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore