April, 27, 2011
By Todd ArcherIRVING, Texas -- Since Bill Parcells decided he had enough of the 4-3 scheme and wanted to bring a 3-4 to the Cowboys in 2005, the prevailing thought about defensive ends has been that they are two-down slugs meant to hold up blockers so others, especially the outside linebackers, can make plays.
To some that means there is not much value in selecting a 3-4 defensive end with the ninth overall pick. But it’s not entirely true either.
“They’re not always two-down players,” Cowboys Executive Vice President Stephen Jones said. “There are those guys that rush the passer too. There’ve been good ones playing in the 3-4. Wade [Phillips] used to remind us of the Bruce Smiths of the world played on the defensive line in a 3-4 … I think it’s a misperception that all of your 3-4 linemen are just first and second down players. That’s not correct. We do think there’s value there.”
Sack numbers can be sticky for 3-4 defensive ends, but in breaking down the pure ends the Cowboys have had in that time Greg Ellis is the only one with more than four sacks in a season. He had eight in 2005 before he moved to outside linebacker in the scheme.
Kenyon Coleman had four in 2006. So did Jay Ratliff before he was moved full-time to nose tackle. (I did not count Ratliff’s sack numbers since 2007 when he has started on the nose.) In the last three seasons Cowboys’ defensive ends have produced 16 sacks.
I understand this is not a perfect measuring stick because the ends move to tackle when the Cowboys use their nickel defense. But 3-4 ends can get to the quarterback more than we have been led to believe.
Oakland’s Richard Seymour has been the gold standard at the spot. Green Bay’s Cullen Jenkins had seven sacks in 11 games last year. Arizona’s Calais Campbell led the team with six sacks. In the last two years Shaun Ellis has put up 11 sacks with the New York Jets. San Francisco’s Justin Smith had 8.5 sacks in 2010.
In two seasons at Wisconsin, J.J. Watt had 11.5 sacks. Cameron Jordan had 16 sacks in his career at Cal, playing the same position he will play in the NFL. (And I will also mention the Cowboys really liked Jordan’s Cal teammate, Tyson Alualu last year.)
So when you wonder why the Cowboys would look at Watt or Jordan with a high pick in the first round, dump the preconception that they will be two-down players.
“If we’re going to pick someone that high we want him on the field for all three downs,” Jones said.
By Todd ArcherIRVING, Texas -- Since Bill Parcells decided he had enough of the 4-3 scheme and wanted to bring a 3-4 to the Cowboys in 2005, the prevailing thought about defensive ends has been that they are two-down slugs meant to hold up blockers so others, especially the outside linebackers, can make plays.
To some that means there is not much value in selecting a 3-4 defensive end with the ninth overall pick. But it’s not entirely true either.
“They’re not always two-down players,” Cowboys Executive Vice President Stephen Jones said. “There are those guys that rush the passer too. There’ve been good ones playing in the 3-4. Wade [Phillips] used to remind us of the Bruce Smiths of the world played on the defensive line in a 3-4 … I think it’s a misperception that all of your 3-4 linemen are just first and second down players. That’s not correct. We do think there’s value there.”
Sack numbers can be sticky for 3-4 defensive ends, but in breaking down the pure ends the Cowboys have had in that time Greg Ellis is the only one with more than four sacks in a season. He had eight in 2005 before he moved to outside linebacker in the scheme.
Kenyon Coleman had four in 2006. So did Jay Ratliff before he was moved full-time to nose tackle. (I did not count Ratliff’s sack numbers since 2007 when he has started on the nose.) In the last three seasons Cowboys’ defensive ends have produced 16 sacks.
I understand this is not a perfect measuring stick because the ends move to tackle when the Cowboys use their nickel defense. But 3-4 ends can get to the quarterback more than we have been led to believe.
Oakland’s Richard Seymour has been the gold standard at the spot. Green Bay’s Cullen Jenkins had seven sacks in 11 games last year. Arizona’s Calais Campbell led the team with six sacks. In the last two years Shaun Ellis has put up 11 sacks with the New York Jets. San Francisco’s Justin Smith had 8.5 sacks in 2010.
In two seasons at Wisconsin, J.J. Watt had 11.5 sacks. Cameron Jordan had 16 sacks in his career at Cal, playing the same position he will play in the NFL. (And I will also mention the Cowboys really liked Jordan’s Cal teammate, Tyson Alualu last year.)
So when you wonder why the Cowboys would look at Watt or Jordan with a high pick in the first round, dump the preconception that they will be two-down players.
“If we’re going to pick someone that high we want him on the field for all three downs,” Jones said.
