Three takeaways from Dallas Cowboys defense after 2020 season
As the Dallas Cowboys 2020 season has come to a close, we shift our focus to looking ahead to the offseason — most specifically free agency and the draft. The Cowboys have more than a few team needs to address and securing Dak Prescott is priority number one. Before we dive straight into which route […]
As the Dallas Cowboys 2020 season has come to a close, we shift our focus to looking ahead to the offseason — most specifically free agency and the draft. The Cowboys have more than a few team needs to address and securing Dak Prescott is priority number one.
Before we dive straight into which route the Cowboys need to take during the offseason, we will look back on the season that just concluded and point out three different takeaways on the defensive side of the football.
We recently wrote on three takeaways from the Dallas Cowboys offense.
Many have thoughts on the Cowboys defense: whether or not to relieve Mike Nolan of defensive coordinator responsibilities, what to do with Jaylon Smith, and which position the team should target in the draft. Here are three quick takeaways from that side of the ball.
Donovan Wilson flashed a ton of potential down the stretch.
As much criticism as the Dallas Cowboys defense received this season — and rightfully so — there was a player that grew up down the stretch of the season and flashed some serious potential.
Former Texas A&M safety Donovan Wilson finished the 2020 regular season on a strong note, totaling 28 tackles, one tackle-for-loss, one quarterback hit, one sack, and one interception over the final four games. Wilson totaled 10 total tackles against Washington on Thanksgiving Day — the first game of that stretch — and recorded a sack and an interception against the Giants to close things out.
Wilson stepping up at a position of need for the Cowboys is a good sign heading into next season. The 2019 sixth-rounder has taken full advantage of his recent opportunities, and he appears to be in good shape to earn a starting spot in 2021.
The Cowboys secondary is far from a finished product, but it is hard to not be excited about Wilson's future.
Adding a big body to the interior of the defense is a must.
Many have complained about the Cowboys linebackers — more specifically, Leighton Vander Esch and Jaylon Smith. LVE and Smith looked to be the next great linebacker duo after the 2018 season, but both have regressed tremendously since then. Vander Esch cannot consistently stay on the field, while Smith has taken a big step back in his play.
While both the linebackers deserve the criticism coming their way, it certainly does not make their jobs easier when playing behind a defensive line lacking any interior presence. Antwaun Woods has been a solid player for the Cowboys, but he is not a true 1-tech. Behind him, especially with Gerald McCoy and Trysten Hill suffering injuries and the Dontari Poe experiment not working, the Cowboys do not have much else.
Addressing this position will be important for the Cowboys this offseason. The team has largely stayed away from prioritizing defensive tackle and safety over the years, but perhaps last offseason — when Dallas inked both McCoy and Poe — is a sign of things to come.
Adding a big body defensive tackle that can plug holes and play the run would not only help Dallas win the line of scrimmage battles, it would clear up some space and potentially help the linebacker corps in a big way.
Dallas needs to address the secondary this offseason.
As mentioned above, the Dallas Cowboys have been hesitant to spend premium resources on defensive tackle and safety. You can make the argument that Dallas is changing their thought process on defensive tackle by signing McCoy and Poe in free agency and spending their first pick of the 2019 draft on the position (Hill, second round).
However, we have yet to see the front office be aggressive in adding help at the safety position. Xavier Woods (2017) and Donovan Wilson (2019) were both sixth-round draft picks. The team has passed on the likes of Tyrann Matheiu and Earl Thomas (albeit many teams passed on Thomas) in free agency, while also bypassing drafting Taylor Rapp and Juan Thornhill.
Is this the year that we finally see that change? Well, there does not seem to be a bonafide free safety prospect in this year's draft, so the odds are not likely that the team adds a safety early. Still, what the team can do to improve the secondary, is add another cornerback to pair with 2020 second-rounder Trevon Diggs.
Diggs, a former wide receiver, flashed as a rookie while going through the usual rookie ups and downs. The athletic defensive back grabbed three interceptions — all against the Eagles, funny enough — on the season and was thrown in the fire early and often. The Cowboys are hoping that experience pays off.
The Dallas Cowboys, currently slotted to pick at 10 in the upcoming draft, will have a handful of different cornerbacks to potentially choose from. Top prospects at the position include Alabama's Patrick Surtain II — who played alongside Diggs in college — Virginia Tech's Caleb Farley, and South Carolina's Jaycee Horn.
Farley, a high school quarterback, would likely be the best option for Dallas, as he possesses ideal size at 6-foot-2 and 207 pounds and has incredible upside thanks to his length and athleticism. He and Diggs would form an intriguing cornerback pairing to throw at opposing offenses.
All-in-all, many believe that making a change at defensive coordinator should be at the top of the list for the Cowboys. Perhaps moving on from Smith after June 1 when his cap-hit decreases is another important decision to consider.
Other than that, the Cowboys have to be happy with the way Donovan Wilson has progressed. The team must be focused on adding a big body to the interior of the defensive line while targeting one of the draft's top corners to improve the weaker side of the ball.
The offense should be explosive again in 2021, but the defense must take a big step forward.
Featured image via Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
