When one door closes, another door opens. The Cowboys traded Everson Griffen to Detroit on Tuesday and cut Dontari Poe on Wednesday. That’s not one, but two doors closed on the interior defensive line. And two doors that are suddenly now open.
That extra-wide opening may come in handy as 6-foot-2, 300-plus-pound Neville Gallimore looks for a way in to the Cowboys’ long-term plans.
“I’m a rookie; I’m new to this,” the third-round draft pick told reporters via conference call on Wednesday. “All I know is that it’s an opportunity for me to step up personally.”
The 23-year-old Gallimore has seen his snap counts increase in each of the five games in which he’s appeared this season, from just six defensive snaps in the Week 1 opener to 38- over half of the defense’s total plays- last Sunday versus Washington.
The native Canadian who played his college ball at Oklahoma says getting to gradually wade in to the pool has helped him get acclimated to the pro game.
“Extremely beneficial,” Gallimore said of the chance to do more watching than playing early on. “It’s really cool from the fact, obviously coming from where I played ball at college- being faster, stronger than everybody- to being around guys where I’m not the fastest. I’m not the strongest. But just having a great group of guys who’ve been through the process and know what it takes. Just kind of leaning on them, understanding how I can be beneficial to the team by just doing my part and not having to do too much, but just doing my job the best I know how.
“Yeah, it’s a learning curve, but it’s a part of it. I know it wasn’t going to be easy. Heck, it wasn’t easy to get into this position anyway. So again, it’s just another opportunity for me to grow as a football player and again, just get better. That’s the biggest thing for me. I want to improve and I want to limit any mistakes or similar mistakes that happened in the past. Just grow. I’m just trying to be a better ballplayer, end of the day.”
Gallimore has always flashed impressive speed for a man his size; his natural athleticism was his main selling point entering the draft. Now it’s about honing his technique.
And with the opportunity for increased reps on the worst run defense in the league, the Cowboys hope Gallimore can get up to speed quickly.
“You know, obviously the biggest thing [is] just being able to be more effective in the run game. Stuff I’ve got to be better at,” he admitted. “That’s just something I’m working on: making sure my hands, my technique, everything is where it should be. I’m working on it and again, can’t really speak on it; just got to continue to show it. Obviously that’s biggest thing I’m working on: making sure that I’m taking steps to really help this team be more effective in run stop.”
Gallimore calls Dallas defensive line coach Jim Tomsula “a great teacher” and feels his overall play has already improved under the coach’s tutelage. The veterans in the locker room have helped, too, including the guys whose now-empty lockers are still warm.
“Dontari definitely took me under his wing when I got here and just kind of shed his light on me,” Gallimore shared on the same day Poe was released. “Definitely appreciative for what he’s done for me just on a personal level. Just kind of another veteran guy who’s been through the process, someone who’s been in the league for as long as he has, it’s no fluke… Definitely got a lot of love for Dontari.”
But now the ninth-year veteran is gone. And that will mean more looks for the rookie hoping to make the most of the chance offered by the vacancies Poe and Griffen left behind.
“I’m here for a reason. They got me here for a reason. So it’s my opportunity to step up, and I have that chance now. Taking it day by day. A lot of the progression doesn’t happen overnight. It’s about making sure I focus on the little things, just keeping my head down, and trying to get better.”
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