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Cowboys explain why they're optimistic about pass rush; Stephen Jones names intriguing DE
By Jon Machota
OXNARD, Calif. -- As the Cowboys begin their first day of training camp, the biggest questions they face are on defense.
No. 1 on that list: How will they pressure opposing quarterbacks?
You've probably heard the stats by now, over the last four years only Atlanta and Oakland have fewer sacks than the Cowboys, who have averaged 31.8 per season.
Without DeMarcus Ware over the last two seasons, the Cowboys are averaging 29.5.
And expectations can't be much higher for a team that no longer has Greg Hardy (six sacks in 2015) or Jeremy Mincey (six sacks in 2014) and its two most talented defensive ends are suspended to open the season.
So what gives the Cowboys confidence that they can manufacture enough pass rush on Sundays?
"I just think the growth and development of the young players, some of the guys we've brought in who had really good offseasons for us, the combination of those guys, Rod Marinelli is an outstanding football coach," head coach Jason Garrett said. "I think we all know that. Leon Lett is an outstanding football coach and the combination it's a great environment for those young defensive linemen to develop.
"I think we have healthy competition at the defensive line. I think that will bring out the best out in the guys. They go against really good offensive linemen every day so we will develop and grow. The culture will be right, the environment will be right for them to do that. Having said that, in a lot of cases there's some guys out there who don't have that much experience playing at this level. But my experience has been if they're in the right environment, they're the right kind of guy and they have some talent they will grow and they will grow quickly. We're going to give them the chance to do that."
With DeMarcus Lawrence suspended the first four games and Randy Gregory out indefinitely, these are the four defensive ends the Cowboys will be depending on early in the season: Benson Mayowa, Ryan Russell, Charles Tapper and David Irving.
Mayowa was the team's most significant free agency signing at the position. Tapper, a fourth-round pick, was the Cowboys' top draft investment. Irving, 22, showed flashes last season after the Cowboys signed him off Kansas City's practice squad in September.
Executive vice president Stephen Jones specifically mentioned Russell, a 2015 fifth-round pick, when asked about young players who intrigue him.
"We think a lot of times players make their biggest jump after their first year," Jones said. "So a guy like a Russell is a guy who is very intriguing to me, had a great offseason and we're hoping that he'll bring that to camp here and continue to improve.
"We obviously drafted a couple guys here and it'll be great to watch them. Believe it or not, we are fired up about that group of guys and I think they have an unbelievable teacher [Marinelli] and coach and life coach and I know he'll be working them. So it'll be very interesting to watch how those guys do."
By Jon Machota
OXNARD, Calif. -- As the Cowboys begin their first day of training camp, the biggest questions they face are on defense.
No. 1 on that list: How will they pressure opposing quarterbacks?
You've probably heard the stats by now, over the last four years only Atlanta and Oakland have fewer sacks than the Cowboys, who have averaged 31.8 per season.
Without DeMarcus Ware over the last two seasons, the Cowboys are averaging 29.5.
And expectations can't be much higher for a team that no longer has Greg Hardy (six sacks in 2015) or Jeremy Mincey (six sacks in 2014) and its two most talented defensive ends are suspended to open the season.
So what gives the Cowboys confidence that they can manufacture enough pass rush on Sundays?
"I just think the growth and development of the young players, some of the guys we've brought in who had really good offseasons for us, the combination of those guys, Rod Marinelli is an outstanding football coach," head coach Jason Garrett said. "I think we all know that. Leon Lett is an outstanding football coach and the combination it's a great environment for those young defensive linemen to develop.
"I think we have healthy competition at the defensive line. I think that will bring out the best out in the guys. They go against really good offensive linemen every day so we will develop and grow. The culture will be right, the environment will be right for them to do that. Having said that, in a lot of cases there's some guys out there who don't have that much experience playing at this level. But my experience has been if they're in the right environment, they're the right kind of guy and they have some talent they will grow and they will grow quickly. We're going to give them the chance to do that."
With DeMarcus Lawrence suspended the first four games and Randy Gregory out indefinitely, these are the four defensive ends the Cowboys will be depending on early in the season: Benson Mayowa, Ryan Russell, Charles Tapper and David Irving.
Mayowa was the team's most significant free agency signing at the position. Tapper, a fourth-round pick, was the Cowboys' top draft investment. Irving, 22, showed flashes last season after the Cowboys signed him off Kansas City's practice squad in September.
Executive vice president Stephen Jones specifically mentioned Russell, a 2015 fifth-round pick, when asked about young players who intrigue him.
"We think a lot of times players make their biggest jump after their first year," Jones said. "So a guy like a Russell is a guy who is very intriguing to me, had a great offseason and we're hoping that he'll bring that to camp here and continue to improve.
"We obviously drafted a couple guys here and it'll be great to watch them. Believe it or not, we are fired up about that group of guys and I think they have an unbelievable teacher [Marinelli] and coach and life coach and I know he'll be working them. So it'll be very interesting to watch how those guys do."
