Well, that escalated quickly. The Dallas Cowboys, who
desperately need a pass rush, struck out on another free agent defensive end as
Chris Long skips dinner with head coach Jason Garrett to sign with the New
England Patriots. So what happens next? There is a possibility of a trade or
going into the draft and taking guys like Joey Bosa or Noah Spence.
The free agent market is dried up, but there are some names
that could be of some help for the ailing pass-rush. Let’s look at some of the
names.
1.) Jason Jones- He is a 30 year-old pass rusher
that is basically the best of the eh. He was decent in Detroit last season and
was considered their second-best pass rusher. He had 4.5 sacks in 2015 and was
decent against the run. It looks like the Pittsburgh Steelers visited with him
and is interested in signing him, but if the Cowboys want to make a move to
stop the bleeding, they could do it with Jones.
2.) Jeremy Mincey- We all know and love Mr. Mincey.
While sacking quarterbacks in 2014, he also produced music that was quite entertaining.
Unfortunately, Mincey didn’t have much of an on-the-field impact for the
Cowboys as he didn’t record a single sack. That could be because Greg Hardy was
getting a lot of the snaps, but it is a worrisome sign that Mincey might not be
an impact player anymore. Yet, as desperate as the Cowboys are, the team might
have to return to the veteran defensive end to help solidify the pass rush and
bring leadership to the defense.
3.) Dwight Freeney- OK, this is getting bad. Do we
really think Freeney can be a savior for the Dallas’ pass rush? He might not be
the solution, but he could be a rotational player and can hold down the fort
until Randy Gregory returns from his four-game suspension. It is very unlikely
the team will sign him, but he is out there.
Troublemakers:
1.)
Greg Hardy- He may be the most talented of all
the defensive ends that were in this free-agent draft class, but he is also the
most troubled. After a turbulent season with the Cowboys, Hardy seems to have
soured his relationship with a lot of teams. We know Dallas won’t sign him, at
least if it was head coach Jason Garret’ call. According to Mike Fisher of
CowboysHQ.com and CBS DFW, the Cowboys will not bring back Hardy. Hardy also
hasn’t visited or had any interest from other teams as well. According to “The
Dallas Morning News”, Hardy is back at Ole Miss finishing his degree. It seems
safe to say that Hardy won’t be a Dallas Cowboy.
2. Aldon Smith- UMM
NO. He’s suspended for at least half the
year. No thanks.
Looks like it might be Joey Bosa in the NFL Draft. No bueno.