FRISCO, Texas — Everyone witnessed the collapse of the Cowboys’ defense in 2020 during the Mike Nolan hybrid experiment. The defense allowed the most points in franchise history and ranked 31st in run defense, resulting in a Dan Quinn takeover. Under his direction, defense became the main priority during the 2021 NFL Draft and free agency. 14 of the Cowboys’ 21 acquisitions were on the defensive side of the ball.
A new era dawns. One of Dallas’ most glaring issues in 2020 was NFC East pass-catching tight ends and running backs gashing the defense. Each game seemed to be a replay of the last. With the rise of mismatch playmakers and the evolution of the passing game, Quinn took notice and addressed.
He brought in a familiar face to bolster the second level of the defense- Keanu Neal. Neal was selected in the first round of the 2016 NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons and played for five seasons under Quinn. He spent the entirety of his career in Atlanta as a model Cover 3 strong safety, notching 338 tackles, 15 for loss, four quarterback hits, two interceptions, and 16 passes defensed. In 2020, Neal posted the third, 100-tackle mark of his career including nine for loss. He was stout against the run in the box, containing ball carriers near the line of scrimmage.
He was named to the Pro Bowl after the 2017 season, but injuries derailed his otherwise ascending career. Neal tore his ACL in the 2018 season opener and tore his Achilles in week three of the 2019 season. The Florida product made a comeback and played 15 games in 2020, missing one due to a hamstring injury. One of the first moves Quinn made in free agency was snagging Neal, a testament to his skillset. The Cowboys’ settled on one-year, $5 million prove-it deal with Neal in April.
Thus far in the offseason, Neal’s coverage ability and jarring hits have impressed coaches on the sideline. He has produced several splash plays during the team’s preseason exhibition games and the joint practice against the Rams in Oxnard. Most notably, a forced incompletion against L.A. Neal played man coverage on a tight end, carried him to the flat and made two lethal steps to beat his opponent as the ball arrived.
“That’s always been really one of his strengths, you know matching up on tight ends,” Dan Quinn told D210SPORTS. “He was one of the tone setters from a tackling and physicality standpoint so coming here, we thought we’d shift him full-time to [linebacker] where he was closer to the ball. I had thought about it prior to the 2020 season, and we ended up leaving him at safety that year but that was one thing that was on my mind for him going into the season. We left him at safety but certainly it was good for him after two injury replaced seasons to come back and establish that. I think, in his mind, he also wanted to prove that too, that he could come back and play at safety because it is uncommon for someone to have those injuries on the same side, the Achilles and an ACL.”
Now, he is establishing himself as a starting dime linebacker for America’s Team. His new prominent role will be playing close to the ball carrying Y tight ends or shedding blocks and navigating traffic to undercut running backs. In addition, he will be flexed five yards out to cover backs/tight ends in the flat.
His aggressive play style is an element that had been lacking on the defense.
“He would have been able to do this role for a few years now at linebacker, he is just that physical of a player, so it has been in the back of my mind that when the moment came, it would be right for him to make the shift and he certainly has embraced it,” Quinn remarked. “He has really gone for it. I have been proud of the of the work that he has put in.”
Neal has played the underneath hook, curl routes without allowing much separation and continues to impress with his innate instincts. With the emergence of offensive two tight end sets and multiple backs lined up in the backfield, players with Neal’s skillset are at a premium. He will play a key role in solidifying the Cowboys’ defense in 2021 and has already been a bright spot.
Ezekiel Elliott described it best in his frank statement to D210SPORTS, “Hell of an athlete!”
42 is one to watch on the turf.
