FRISCO, Texas – Sometimes you must adjust. Or at least make somewhat of an alteration, and promise will get to what my intentions were from the start at Friday's conclusion to the Cowboys' second week of OTA practices.
My initial premise being like, "Where's the beef?" leading into how important for the Cowboys to beef up their front four to improve their run defense, generously classified as porous this past 2024 season. They ranked 29th, giving up 137.1 yards a game and 30th per play at 4.84 yards, nearly half-a-first down each carry.
But then, little after noon, walking into the Training Table where the players eat here at The Star, there's Bob Lilly, none other than Mr. Cowboy, the Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive tackle. There is Randy White, another Hall of Fame defensive tackle, the two never playing together but Randy having taken the time to drive Bob to The Star for this event planned by head coach Brian Schottenheimer unofficially named Cowboys Alumni Day. Next, there is Larry Cole, 13-year Cowboys stalwart defensive lineman.
Coming up, about to leave, is Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson, the electric linebacker from back in the day, now splitting his time between Austin and Florida. More Hall of Famers flood the place, like Charles Haley, he of five Super Bowl rings, three of those with the Cowboys; Tony Dorsett with son Anthony Dorsett, who played in the league, too; Drew Pearson; should-be Hall of Famer Everson Walls; and will-be Hall of Famer Tyron Smith. Why, on and on from the past, George Teague, Kevin Smith, John Fitzgerald, Rocket Ismail, Bradie James, Tony Casillas, to name a few. A great collection of a Cowboys Who's Who from the past.
Oh yeah, former Cowboys secondary coach, defensive coordinator (having won three Super Bowl rings) and three-year head coach Dave Campo as well, getting a big kick out of meeting all these new, fresh, young coaches and appreciating their energy.
Yep, Schottenheimer wanted his players to connect with greatness, with the Cowboys' glorified past. These guys were not only here to watch practice but also sit in during the team and position meetings, allowing these former players to introduce themselves but also bring along family members, for sure children and grandchildren. Also an opportunity to kibitz with one another, reliving old times.
Michael Irvin and Rocket Ismail chatting up George Pickens. Haley hanging with the defensive linemen. Quite a collection. Then a BBQ lunch afterward with pitmaster Kevin Bludso, who has staged cookouts for the team the past two training camps in Oxnard, Calif.
OK, now back to the business at hand, and thanks for the little pivot. Defense. Run defense. And don't think these old-timers haven't been watching, Larry Cole telling me about run-defense techniques, and that after meeting new defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton, saying he reminded him of his Cowboys defensive line coach and coordinator, the late Ernie Stautner, a Hall of Fame defensive tackle for the Steelers in his own right. That being quite the compliment there, Aaron.
So, you know, we hear after two weeks of OTAs that Micah Parsons is not attending. What's new? He hasn't been without cause the past few years, preferring to do his own off-season training. Now he's with cause, angling for a contract extension since he's on a one-year, $24 million guarantee in his fifth season. At this point and it's early, sounding as if the two sides are at odds over how much. Again, what's new? But never fear, as my favorite analogy with these contract differences always suggest, those cats stuck up in a tree always find their way down.
We hear updates on the speedy backfield the Cowboys now have, how Dak Prescott is progressing nicely following season-ending surgery, how CeeDee Lamb and Pickens are hitting it off nicely. And did see George hanging out with Dak in the locker room afterward, proving to be quite the affable guy, shooting some college football-related breeze. Got a positive update on second-year left tackle Tyler Guyton.
But to me, and while this might be the first time pointing it out, but sure won't be the last time once reaching training camp, the meat of what must lead to a Cowboys resurgence from that 7-10 season of last year is the defensive front, and more specifically the defensive tackles. Look, the Cowboys gave up at least 100 yards rushing in 12 of 17 games last year. Nine of those ended in losses, including surrendering season highs of 190 to New Orleans, 274 to Baltimore, 184 to Detroit, 223 to San Francisco and 187 and 179 in both losses to Philadelphia, all playoff teams but the Saints.
"The first thing Flus said to me is stopping the run," says linebacker Kenneth Murray, acquired in a trade from Tennessee, when speaking of initially meeting new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. "Always, man. First thing to being a great defense is stopping the run.
"Something I take extremely personal."
Says he has been wearing the "green dot" helmet in these spring practices, meaning he's relaying the defensive calls in the huddle. Good, he is a seven-year veteran. Also encouraging, Murray, the former first-round draft choice out of Oklahoma on the final year of his contract, led the Titans with 95 tackles in 2024.
After losing DeMarcus Lawrence, the Cowboys best run defender, for all but four games this past season and then in free agency to Seattle, as they did Chauncey Golston to the Giants, the Cowboys have signed former first-round draft choice Solomon Thomas to play defensive tackle along with re-signing their top defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa to a long-term deal. They also signed free agent Dante Fowler Jr., who left the Cowboys after the 2023 season to follow former D-coordinator Dan Quinn to Washington, only to return following a 10½ sack season for the Commanders.
Now, Mazi Smith enters his third season, and supposedly has his weight back to 325, and the Cowboys also are giving practice-squad tackle Denzel Daxon another shot at the 53. He weighs in at 322. Then they added two hefty seventh-round draft choices, Jay Toia tipping the scales at 342 and Tommy Akingbesote, at a mere 306.
"We have a new staff coming in here emphasizing stopping the run," Murray says.
For Mazi, a man of few words, he says the key for him after a significantly improved second season over his rookie year, is "run to the ball and stay low."
This lack of run defense for the Cowboys has been a problem for the past five seasons, ranking 31st in 2020, 16th in 2021, 22nd in 2022 and 16th again in 2023. Then remember the 29th of 2024, and by no mere coincidence the only two losing seasons of the five came when ranked 29th and 31st against the run. Big hmmm, huh?
This study does not just pertain to the regular season. Stopping the run has reared its ugly head in recent playoff appearances. In the Cowboys' past four playoff losses, they have given up 273 yards rushing to the Rams, in back-to-back losses to San Francisco 113 and 169 and then 143 to Green Bay.
And you might think this coincidence, me thinks not, but in those seasons the Cowboys won their five Super Bowls, their run defense ranked second in 1971, third in 1977, first in 1992, 11th in 1993 and 16th in 1995. Also, in those back-to-back NFL Championship Game seasons of 1966-67, the presence of Lilly reminds the Cowboys were No. 1 against the run in both seasons and were ranked in the top 10 from 1964 through 1978, six of those seasons finishing No. 1 with three more in the top three, thanks to the work of guys such Lilly and White and Cole and Hollywood.
In these basically contactless OTA practices, with three more next week and more of the same in the following week's three-day minicamp, we won't know much about where the Cowboys' run defense is, other than who is playing where.
As Schottenheimer correctly points out about how hard it is to evaluate running backs until the pads come on in training camp, same goes for the defensive line, and really the front seven. Got to wait until the pads come on to detect what's up. And even then, full, all-out tackling is rarely allowed.
But in the meantime, at least we can recognize the real importance of what to be looking for once we arrive in Oxnard. The ability to rub elbows with history out here at The Star on Friday is a great reminder.
Just imperative the Cowboys beef up that run defense.
