The Dallas Cowboys started to purge their roster of malcontents and players struggling to live up to their contracts when they shipped defensive end Everson Griffen off to Detroit for a conditional Day 3 pick. It appears that Jerry Jones and Stephen Jones are not done trying to clean house on the defensive side of the ball.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero is reporting the club has informed DT Dontari Poe and CB Daryl Worley, both of whom have seen their snap counts decrease in recent weeks, that if the team is unable to find trade partners then they will be released prior to the deadline of November 3.
The #Cowboys have informed DT Dontari Poe and CB Daryl Worley they’ll be released if Dallas can’t trade them today, per sources. Big changes continue for Dallas D.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 28, 2020
Poe was brought in to play nose tackle and be the run-stuffing player the Cowboys had missed while they chose to play lighter defensive tackles under the previous Rod Marinelli regime. However Dallas’ run defense has plummeted under the highly-regarded line coach Jim Tomsula and defensive coordinator Mike Nolan. Dallas has given up over 200 yards rushing in three of the last four games including 208 last week against Washington. The Football Team was averaging a league-worst 86.5 yards a game prior to the contest.
After playing 46 and 59 snaps in Week 3 and 4, Poe had played 31,26 and 33 snaps the last three weeks. Practice squader Justin Hamilton was promoted and has been the best interior defender the last two games.
Meanwhile Worley was often targeted by the opposition in coverage, whether in man or zone. Sometimes it appeared he didn’t know which defense he was supposed to be playing.
Worley played 73 and 75 snaps in Weeks 3 and 4, down to 52 in Week 5. After embarrassing gaffes continued that shot down to 21 in Week 6 and he only saw one defensive snap in Week 7.
The Cowboys are currently ranked a league-worst 32nd in points allowed in 2020.