Tag: hot boyz

Injuries robbed Antwaun Woods of a breakout 2019, may not be a chair left for 2020

Antwaun Woods looks to have a bounce back season in 2020 but has plenty of competition to be with the Cowboys this season.

The Dallas Cowboys have spent their off-season adding to their defense; specifically their defensive line. Two of their three key free-agent acquisitions along with multiple draft picks have the Cowboys looking at a much improved unit in 2020. Possibly getting lost amongst the addition to the new pieces is returning  defensive tackle Antwaun Woods.

Technically, Woods is a still a free agent. As an exclusive rights free agent (ERFA) he can’t sign anywhere else this off-season and it is expected he’ll sign his tender soon which will pay him the non-guaranteed league minimum. Next year, he will be a restricted free agent (RFA) which doesn’t favor Woods at all as he’s already 27 years old and has limited opportunity to earn a big payday before his prime years have passed. For all of the discussion about salaries being out of control, Woods is a poster child for why raising league minimum salaries was a key element in the most recent CBA barely passing.

He’s also a poster child for how quickly opportunity could be lost. With the club adding two free agents and a draft pick at defensive tackle, Woods finds himself in a tough situation. None of the excitement Woods created with a stellar 2018 campaign remains after a lackluster 2019. It likely wasn’t regression though, as the injury bug sapped his ability to be a big-play guy like he was down the stretch in 2018.

2019 was a string of injuries for Woods, however. The Cowboys followed the wild-card win over Seattle with a loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round, where Dallas was gouged in the run game by Todd Gurley and CJ Anderson for over 200 yards. It turns out Woods played that game with a torn shoulder labrum that required surgery.

During this past regular season, he was able to suit up in just 10 of the Cowboys’ 16 games. Midway through the Week 2 contest against Washington, Woods hurt his knee when Maliek Collins rolled up on the back of his leg, spraining his MCL. He would miss the next three contests and didn’t seem right for several games to follow.

Woods then suffered another knee injury against the Patriots in Week 11, forcing him to miss the next two contests, and proving he wasn’t healthy when he returned, he sat out the meaningless finale against Washington.

In his 10 contest he was able to rack up 23 tackles,  11 solo. He didn’t get to the quarterback to register any sacks but did have bursts of impact. He managed to see the field on 310 snaps which represented about 29 percent of the Cowboys defensive plays in 2019.

As Dallas Morning News writer John Owning describes though, there was inconsistency in his play.

However, Woods lacked consistency, as he was just as likely to get displaced out his gap as he was to penetrate and disrupt. Woods also struggled mightily against double teams, which isn’t great given that a nose tackle’s first job requirement is to demand and absorb double teams in an effort to give the linebackers a chance to pursue without being immediately encumbered by blockers. When you add in Woods’ inability to make an impact as a pass-rusher, his inconsistency against the run became a bigger and bigger issue upfront.

And now this year, Woods has competition. New defensive coordinator Mike Nolan prefers more stout defensive linemen, and with the limited play Woods was able to put on film in 2019, the new staff likely wouldn’t be enthusiastic. With the signing of behemoth defensive tackle Dontari Poe and a multifaceted Gerald McCoy, Woods finds himself in a larger rotation than years past.

That was before the club selected Oklahoma nose tackle Neville Gallimore in the third round this past draft. The staff is so high on him, they considered taking him in the second round ahead of the dire cornerback need filled by Trevon Diggs.

Not to mention, Tyrone Crawford who plays up-and-down the defensive line is returning from his almost full year off due to his own injury. The Cowboys will also factor in second-year defensive tackle Trysten Hill who in his own right is looking for a rebound season after a relatively quiet rookie campaign. Depth is good to have on the defensive line, especially on the interior, but for Woods in 2020, he will have to be playing at an elite level to see the field.

According to CBS Sports writer, Patrik Walker, Woods is going to have to show he has the most upside out of the other men at his position on the Cowboys depth chart to make this team in September. His position on the 2020 Dallas Cowboys also relies heavily on the reinstatement of Randy Gregory as well.

There’s no mistaking the impact Woods can make when healthy and fresh, and an opportunity to work with new defensive line coach Jim Tomsula shouldn’t be overlooked. The numbers game indicate that he’ll have to prove himself in a major way in training camp.

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DeMarcus Lawrence talks possible Dez Bryant return, autograph snubs & more

Dallas Cowboys defensive end sits down with Bleacher Report Gridiron and participates in a “Q & A” with fans.

The Dallas Cowboys have always had their cast of outlandish and outspoken characters over the course of their 60-year history. From legends and Hall of Famers like quarterback Roger Staubach, running backs Tony Dorsett and Emmitt Smith, cornerback Deion Sanders and wide receiver Michael Irvin. The Cowboys have never had a shortage of players who wanted the spotlight, attention, and overall demanding of respect from the fans and media.

It’s now 2020 and the Cowboys have two-time Pro Bowl defensive end, DeMarcus Lawrence. With the Cowboys finishing 8-8 and largely underachieving, he has not stopped answering all of the questions he’s been asked. In an interview with Bleacher Report Gridiron, Lawrence welcomed a Q & A with fans in which none of them held back when it came to the choice of topics.

The gloves came off early from the fans. A New York Giants fan in particular asked about the situation that occurred outside of AT&T Stadium involving a young Giants fan asking for his autograph. “The reason why I did the fella like that … first off I really didn’t see him,  but saw he had the wrong jersey on. It really wasn’t any harm to him. I just treated the kid like I treat anyone else. I was walking pretty fast! No autographs for anyone that day,” Lawrence answered as he tried to finally clear the air.

Another question regarding something that has been heavily debated recently was the question of, who should be labeled as the real “Hot Boyz”? It has become a Twitter war between members of the Dallas Cowboys defense and the NFC Champion, San Francisco 49ers defense.

One would assume all in good fun but it seemed like Lawrence was very passionate about this brand.  Lawrence recently has went on record to call the 49ers frauds. He went on to explain a little more as to why he felt this way.

“Cause they don’t have no identity behind it. Reason we came up with Hotboyz was because of brotherhood. People can recognize us as the Hot Boyz from what we do on the field and off the field but swag like that, it’s gonna be cocky so I’m not surprised.”

Something Lawrence did not shy away from was his thoughts on a possible return to Dallas for free agent wide receiver Dez Bryant.

Bryant has surfaced back in Cowboys-related news in recent weeks when he made clear that he wants to be given a chance to rejoin the team in 2020. Or, according to the tweet a few weeks back, the Cowboys, Saints or Ravens.

When Lawrence was asked about a possible reunion between Bryant and the Cowboys, he made it quite clear that it would be welcomed. “If 88, the X factor, wants a shot we gotta give him a shot. Cowboys are home to Dez and he’s always accepted in my book.” In a follow up question of who he would like the Cowboys to add to the teams roster next season, once again, Lawrence sided with Bryant, “I’d say bring Dez Bryant back. 88 is always welcome here.”

He then decided to have some fun with a another Giants fan when he was asked about New York’s future. “Well, my guy, only thing I can say is as long as my career prolongs I don’t think it’s looking good for the Giants.”

One fan put Lawrence on the spot when he was asked who the best quarterback in the NFL was, past and present. Without hesitation, “Present day: Dak Prescott, Past: Dak Prescott.” That has to warm the heart of Prescott as he himself awaits his new long term deal with the team.

Lawrence has always been good for this team. Not just from a statistical standpoint but as an individual who has verbally and physically battled for all of his teammates. In any win or loss, Lawrence has never been short for words or comments. Even in his shorter phrases, or one word answers, they have always left an impact with the media and his colleges. Last year, as Cowboys fans know, Lawrence signed a five-year, $105 million dollar contract. This should give current Dallas players and potential 2020 new additions some comfort that they have a guy like him in the locker room.

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