Tag: cowboys defensive tackle

Cowboys’ Brent Urban eager to resume run-stuffer role in Dallas

Brent Urban was brought in to bolster the Cowboys run defense. He was one of the NFL’s best in 2020 and wants to do the same in Dallas.

The Dallas Cowboys defensive front was a highway to the promise land for NFL runners in 2020. E-Z pass lanes, even. Dallas finished 31st against the run and it was mostly due to the lack of production on the interior of the defensive line. In the NFL draft, they added defensive tackles Osa Odighizuwa and Quinton Bohanna in the third and sixth rounds, but it was an addition a month earlier which may not be getting enough recognition.

Brent Urban, who spent the last two seasons with the Chicago Bears, has been very good against the run over the last several seasons. He posted a 79.7 run defense grade in 2018, and it elevated to 83.7 in last season which was the third-best for all interior defensive linemen.

The Canadian native is ready to do similar things in Dallas.

“I do a good job being stout up front, taking on double teams and doing the dirty work to allow those guys to run free,” Urban said, via the team’s website. “That’s part of the reason I came here. It seemed like the perfect opportunity for me to continue to do that and help elevate this defense and allow the athletes to be athletes.”

The Cowboys invested heavily in the linebacker position in the draft with first-round pick Micah Parsons and fourth-round selection Jabril Cox. Also, Jaylon Smith is looking to bounce back from a subpar season and Leighton Vander Esch is entering a contract season. If Urban can be an anchor on the interior against the run, opposing offensive linemen won’t be able to get their hands on the Cowboys linebackers and they’ll be able to run around like cheetahs in the[lawrence-newsletter] Serengeti making plays.

Urban’s role with the Cowboys will not make the highlight reel on SportsCenter very often. However, everything starts in the trenches and Urban embraces being a lunch pail type of player.

“You’ve got to,” Urban said during mandatory minicamp, via the Dallas Morning News. “It’s not flashy, but you can identify the great defenses doing that job. It’s an important job. It’s one that takes a selfless individual to do. That’s something I pride myself on. I just want to win. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get there. I understand with my size and attributes, that’s what I’m good at.”

It’s been true since the game of football was invented. If a team can’t stop the run they can’t win games consistently. Urban has specialized in that area, and the Cowboys will need him to continue to wreak havoc on the line of scrimmage as they try to get their defense back to a respectable level.

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Cowboys’ Gallimore continues to flash in rookie campaign

Once Gerald McCoy was waived and Dontari Poe was released Neville Gallimore was given the opportunity to step up, and he’s done just that.

The Dallas Cowboys picked up a much-needed win against the San Francisco 49ers this past Sunday but perhaps more importantly, several young players performed well. Safety Donovan Wilson logged his first career interception, running back Tony Pollard racked up 132 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns, and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb pulled within 177 yards of breaking Bob Hayes’ franchise rookie receiving record of 1,003 yards.

There was another young stud who flashed, but in the trenches. Rookie defensive tackle Neville Gallimore continued to show why he was taken in the third round with his best performance of 2020.

Two plays in particular stood out for Gallimore on Sunday. The first came at the end of the first quarter.

On first and goal he does an unbelievable job of using his speed to split the right guard and right tackle and stuffed running back Raheem Mostert for a three-yard loss.

The next big play came late in the third quarter with the Cowboys clinging to a 24-17 lead. On 2nd-and-8 from inside the 20, Gallimore again shows off great speed and also technique with a stutter step and swim move on the center, splitting him and the right guard and batting down a pass to force a third and long.

Gallimore finished with a season-high five tackles (one tackle for loss), a pass deflection, and a quarterback hit.

This isn’t the first time Gallimore has shown he can be a big-time contributor on the Cowboys defense.

In his second career start against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 9, he graded out as one of the best interior defensive linemen in the NFL in terms of run defense grade, run stops, and run stop percentage according to Pro Football Focus.

The Cowboys potentially have a solid four-man rotation set up for 2021 on the interior defensive line with Gallimore, Antwaun Woods, Eli Ankou, and a healthy Trysten Hill. Of course, they’ll still need to address it in free agency and the draft, but that’s a pretty good starting point.

Gallimore has two more games (possibly more if the Cowboys make the playoffs) to make an impact in what’s been a respectable rookie campaign. He’s taken full advantage of his opportunities and looks like a great building block for the Cowboy’s interior defensive line going forward.

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Cowboys rookie DT Neville Gallimore shining in increased role

With Gerald McCoy out for the season and Dontari Poe now off the roster, Neville Gallimore had an opportunity to step up, and he’s doing it.

The Dallas Cowboys’ run defense has been laughable in 2020, to say the least. Much of that can be attributed to injury and simply a lack of production on the interior of the defensive line. Gerald McCoy, signed back in March, suffered a ruptured quadriceps in August; he was lost for the season and eventually released. Dontari Poe produced only seven tackles in seven games and didn’t log a single sack or quarterback hit before he was released in October.

This set up an opportunity for third-round pick Neville Gallimore to show what he could bring to the table. In the Cowboys’ tough 24-19 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers last Sunday, Gallimore graded out as one of the best interior defensive linemen in the NFL in terms of run defense, run stops, and run stop percentage.

The Cowboys had their best outing of the year versus the run against Pittsburgh behind Gallimore’s breakout performance. They held the Steelers to only 46 yards rushing as a team on 18 attempts. Even though the Cowboys still rank 31st against the run, it was encouraging to see them render the Steelers offense so one-dimensional.

Gallimore didn’t see the field much early in the season, logging just 20 snaps in the first two games. After not recording a snap in Weeks 3 and 4, Gallimore has played at least 22 snaps in four of the last five games (17 snaps versus the Eagles in Week 8).

Gallimore’s combination of quickness and power is rare for a man who’s 6-foot-2 and 304 pounds. The duo of Gallimore and Antwaun Woods on the interior, coupled with DeMarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory on the edge, may be the Cowboys’ best defensive line combination for the rest of the season.

The talented rookie now gets an extra week to prepare as the Cowboys are on their bye before hitting the road to face the Minnesota Vikings in Week 11. Gallimore will be needed more than ever. The Cowboys will be tasked with containing running back Dalvin Cook, who has rushed for nearly 400 yards and five touchdowns in his last two games.

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Love Me Tender: NT Antwaun Woods agrees to ERFA one-year Cowboys offer

Cowboys defensive tackle Antwaun Woods has signed his exclusive rights tender.

The Dallas Cowboys have revamped their defensive line this offseason with several key additions. Veterans Gerald McCoy and Dontari Poe were added early in free agency as the team’s new anchors at defensive tackle. Aldon Smith was brought in as a reclamation project at defensive end. In the draft the team added Oklahoma DT Neville Galimore and edge rusher Bradlee Anae, both capable of having an immediate impact.

Now, the Cowboys have more firepower on their defensive front as Antwaun Woods, starter at nose tackle the last two seasons, has finally signed his exclusive rights tender.

Woods signed a two-year, $1.05 million deal in May of 2018 after being released by the Tennessee Titans, and made the final 53-man roster that August. He registered 34 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and a fumble recovery in 15 starts. 2019 was a rough year for Woods as multiple knee issues kept him sidelined. He finished with 23 tackles and a fumble recovery.

With only two years in the league, Woods was not eligible to negotiate with any other club. If the Cowboys wanted to retain him, all they had to do was extend the exclusive rights tag and he was theirs for the minimum veteran salary of $750,000. It made sense for Woods to wait until the eve of training camp to sign the agreement.

With Woods now locked in for the 2020 season he’ll have quite the battle for snaps with Poe and Gallimore expected to have big roles. Nonetheless, having him is a huge plus not only in terms of rushing the passer but also defending the run, an area the Cowboys struggled with in 2019.

New defensive line coach Jim Tomsula now has another piece to play with.

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Irving reinstatement journey comes with side-eye, but Cowboys watching

David Irving is seeking reinstatement by the NFL. The Dallas Cowboys aren’t ruling out a reunion, taking a “wait and see” approach

The Dallas Cowboys need help on the defensive line and it’s a group that will be heavily looked into for free agency and April’s NFL Draft. Wish lists include many high pedigree players, but a former Cowboys who has been out of the public eye for a year might be making his way back into the league, David Irving.

Last March, Irving retired in a cloud of smoke, citing the league’s anti-marijuana position after he was suspended indefinitely. With reports the league is about to loosen their restrictions to be more in line with several states, there’s a chance Irving will be able to make his return. He’s already filed his reinstatement papers and despite how he left the organization last year, there may be interest in his return.

Irving has been a player who has flashed both great potential and a lack of desire to improve in his short stint with Dallas. The Cowboys signed Irving off of the Chiefs practice squad in 2015 after he was a UDFA signing. In limited action, he registered 13 tackles and a half-sack in 12 games.

When the 2016 season rolled around, Irving saw his playing time increase appearing in 15 games with two starts. He had four sacks on the year, with a standout performance in Week 6 against Green Bay. Irving wrecked the Packers offense almost single-handedly with three forced fumbles (recovered one), a sack and a pass defended in only 19 snaps. For his efforts, he would be named NFC Defensive Player of the Week.

In May 2017, Irving was suspended for the first four games of the season due to violating the league’s performance-enhancing drugs policy. Once he was on the field, though, he was once again causing chaos. Irving totaled 22 tackles, seven sacks, six passes defended, and a forced fumble in the eight games he played in. However, he would suffer a concussion and miss four more games. Irving’s seven sacks led all defensive tackles before he was sidelined.

Irving’s 2018 season, much like the year before, got off to a rocky start. On June 15, he has suspended four games again for a substance abuse violation. On July 25, he was placed on the reserve/did not report list to start training camp as he dealt with his off the field issues centering around a custody battle. On October 6, he would be added to the active roster, however, he only played in two games before suffering a high ankle sprain on November 1 and didn’t play again.

On March 1, 2019, Irving was indefinitely suspended for once again violating the league’s policy on substances of abuse. Just days later, he announced his retirement from the NFL, mainly due to their stance on marijuana.

Rumors about the player’s work ethic were bandied about, and a few weeks later in an interview with USA Today’s Jori Epstein, Irving made it clear the majority of his organizational clash stemmed from the coaching staff.

“[Head coach Jason Garrett] told me I should just quit, smoke all the weed I want, the team didn’t need me,” Irving told USA TODAY Sports in a wide-ranging phone interview Thursday. “I’m a distraction to the team.

“He views marijuana as a drug, whereas I view it as a medicine. It’s not a good situation.”

“Basically, Jerry, he is supportive of me,” Irving said, adding Jones didn’t agree with all parts of the league substance-abuse policies. “He understands my situation and what I was dealing with. Our hands were pretty much tied. His hands were tied.”

Jones is well-known to be at the forefront of wanting the league to change their policy about smoking, as alongside Irving’s plight has been that of Randy Gregory, who also is serving an indefinite suspension.

Following his retirement, Irving has become an activist for cannabis legalization and treatment and even opened his own business that focused on CBD-related products.

Irving’s reinstatement application is of course timely, in sync with the turn the league has made when it comes to marijuana use.The league is poised to dramatically reduce testing and punishment for marijuana under the new CBA that’s soon to be voted on by the players.

If Irving is reinstated, the Cowboys won’t overlook it, in fact, they’ll be paying close attention.

The organization will undoubtedly be watching how that unfolds.

At 6-foot-7 and 290 pounds, Irving is a cyborg along the defensive line. His versatility to play either on the interior or rush from the perimeter could allow the Cowboys to use a plethora of combinations on the defensive line. He can either cause havoc on the interior and free up DeMarcus Lawrence, or he can rush from the outside and create one-on-one situations for interior lineman due to the attention he would receive.

Or, he could just be missing the sizable NFL paycheck, have scapegoated the former coaching regime for his issues and if he returns will show the same lack of interest in building on his physical skills he did over the final year of his time in Dallas.

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