OXNARD, Calif. – The Cowboys acquired several defensive line players during off-season to strengthen the pass rush: defensive tackle Jihad Ward, defensive end Dorance Armstrong, and defensive end Kony Ealy to take some of the pressure off sack leader DeMarcus Lawrence.
With Maliek Collins’ injury and David Irving’s four game suspension, Ward is off to a great start at Training Camp and is going up against the highest paid guard in the league and the best at his position, Zack Martin. Martin is helping Ward develop as a player and Ward has paired well with him, in their first full padded practice.
Armstrong has practiced with defensive end Taco Charlton, and both have looked smooth in covering the outside area of the line of scrimmage to tackle ball carriers. Dorance was arguably the best defensive player/pass rusher in the Big 12, and could turn out to be another fourth round steal for Dallas and force on the opposite side of the line from “the Tank.” There is a lot of competition and depth throughout the defensive line and is bringing out the best qualities in each player, as they fight for role on the Cowboys 53 man roster.
Ealy will join Crawford, Lawrence, Charlton, Armstrong, and Tapper in the defensive end depth chart. There is also the question of Randy Gregory’s placement after his reinstatement. Ealy will back up Lawrence who will be playing on the franchise tag this season, after his stellar performance in 2017 with 14.5 sacks. Ealy has a lot of experience under his belt being a part of several defensive schemes throughout his NFL career and five playoff games, including a trip to Super Bowl L where he had an incredible game with three sacks on quarterback Peyton Manning. Ealy has proved he plays well under pressure in key games and is an impact player. He has continued to prove his speed and power on the edge.
Veteran Tyrone Crawford is headed into his sixth season with the Cowboys. Over the course of his career with the Cowboys he has accumulated 143 combined tackles, 95 total, and 16.5 sacks in 77 game starts. During training camp, Crawford posted an Instagram photo with teammate Tyron Smith and commented “ What better way to improve than battling everyday with the best in the game!” The defensive linemen have the upmost respect for their veteran pro-bowl teammates Tyron Smith, Zack Martin, and Travis Frederick on the opposite side of the ball. Crawford is continuing to grow as he pairs with left tackle Tyron Smith, an elite at his position of protecting Dak’s blind side.
The Cowboys’ offensive and defensive lines will continue to strengthen at camp as they battle each other and learn from their teammates.
