Archer: When it comes to rookie pass rushers, patience matters most

Cotton

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When it comes to rookie pass rushers, patience matters most
February, 6, 2015

By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com

IRVING, Texas -- ESPN Insider Todd McShay has the Dallas Cowboys taking a running back in his most recent mock draft, but there are plenty of needs they have to fill, most of them on defense.

At the Pro Bowl, defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli said the Cowboys have to get better up front to aid a pass rush that recorded just 28 sacks in the regular season. Jeremy Mincey led the Cowboys with six sacks, which was the lowest total to lead the team since Greg Ellis had six in 2001.
The Cowboys have rebuilt their offensive line with three first-round picks in the last four years. They started the process of rebuilding the defensive line through the draft by taking DeMarcus Lawrence in the second round, giving up their third rounder to get him.

Earlier this week Steve Muench of Scout.com listed his top-five defensive ends in the upcoming draft, with Nebraska’s Randy Gregory, Florida’s Dante Fowler Jr., Clemson’s Vic Beasley and USC’s Leonard Williams leading the way.

These rankings are by no means close to final, so some names can change, but the chances of the Cowboys landing a top-five pass rusher with the 27th pick seem remote. The top three pass rushers in last year’s draft -- Jadeveon Clowney, Khalil Mack and Anthony Barr -- went in the first nine picks. The Cowboys were looking at Barr as a defensive end even though he played linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings.

Kansas City took Dee Ford with the 23rd pick, and he recorded one sack.

Of the pass rushers taken in the first round in 2014, Mack led the way with four sacks. Asking a rookie to transform a defensive line is a tall task. It doesn’t happen often. For as good as DeMarcus Ware was for the Cowboys, he had four sacks in the first 14 games of his rookie year before posting four in the final two.

Perhaps the Cowboys can hit on a pass rusher in the first round. Ezekiel Ansah, the fifth pick of the 2013 draft, has 15.5 sacks in his first two seasons. The No. 3 pick that year, Dion Jordan, has three.

So as you ponder names in the draft, like the five guys mentioned by Muench or others such as Alvin Dupree or Nate Orchard, remember to be easy on the expectations.

Lawrence did not record a sack in the regular season but recorded one each in both of the playoff games.

The lack of immediate success could find the Cowboys continuing to go with numbers at the spot in free agency, perhaps re-signing Anthony Spencer, George Selvie, or both as stop-gaps so the Cowboys don’t find themselves reaching when it comes to the draft.
 

Carp

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I am more apt to bring Selvie back than Spencer. I liked how Spencer played at the end of the year, but I want to pass rush situations to go to Lawrence and a rookie...or younger player. Selvie is decent against the run and would probably cost less.
 

Clay_Allison

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I am more apt to bring Selvie back than Spencer. I liked how Spencer played at the end of the year, but I want to pass rush situations to go to Lawrence and a rookie...or younger player. Selvie is decent against the run and would probably cost less.
Selvie is also a lot less likely to go on IR.
 

fortsbest

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Agreed. Spencer manned up toward the end, but I still can't get by the 2 wasted years we paid that heffer with the franchise tag. I don't trust him to play that well again. He had a career year in his contract year and then got hurt but even before that he was just a good run guy not a rusher.
 

Clay_Allison

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Speaking of two wasted years, Orakpo was once a very good pass rusher and might come cheap on a one year 'prove it' deal. Pectoral injuries are more freak occurrences than a real degenerative problem like a bad back or knees.
 

ravidubey

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Speaking of two wasted years, Orakpo was once a very good pass rusher and might come cheap on a one year 'prove it' deal. Pectoral injuries are more freak occurrences than a real degenerative problem like a bad back or knees.
Except when they keep happening, though.
 

Simpleton

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I'm not going to pretend like I watch Titans games every week but Derrick Morgan was a first round pick, has pretty good size and has had 6 or 6.5 sacks each of the last 3 years. He doesn't seem to be getting much pub in terms of free agency, but I'd definitely be intrigued by a guy like that assuming his price is relatively low.
 

Clay_Allison

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I'm not going to pretend like I watch Titans games every week but Derrick Morgan was a first round pick, has pretty good size and has had 6 or 6.5 sacks each of the last 3 years. He doesn't seem to be getting much pub in terms of free agency, but I'd definitely be intrigued by a guy like that assuming his price is relatively low.
That's a good one. I think he'd be an upgrade over Selvie at LDE.
 

boozeman

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That's a good one. I think he'd be an upgrade over Selvie at LDE.
There are a bunch of guys who would be an upgrade to Selvie. The guy reverted to what he had been the rest of his career last season. Mincey played over his head, I expect him to regress as well.
 

ravidubey

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There are a bunch of guys who would be an upgrade to Selvie. The guy reverted to what he had been the rest of his career last season. Mincey played over his head, I expect him to regress as well.
Yes and yes-- at least as a RDE. Lawrence showed me something in the playoffs, but I worry about him starting and taking too many snaps next to Hayden before he's seasoned.

Terrance Knighton could be the solution. At 335 pounds he replaces Hayden and takes a lot of pressure off of Lawrence, protects Sean Lee, makes Crawford's job easier and with Lawrence starting moves Mincey to LDE where he belongs.

Another move I like is finally dumping Henry Melton and signing Alex Carrington to alternate with Tyrone Crawford at 3-technique. These moves significantly upgrade the DL without spending a fortune on an over-priced DE.

Mincey | Crawford/Carrington | Knighton/McClain | Lawrence would be a solid front.

They'd still need help at DE, LB, and Safety but would be free to draft without forcing a position where there isn't one to be had.

The exception is RB, where they must get a significant 2015 contributor and preferably a playmaker.
 

Simpleton

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I'd love Knighton, huge fan of his. I actually wanted us to sign him when he was a free agent 2 or 3 years ago.
 

Simpleton

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He does not seem like a Marinelli type he wants more active guys even at the 1.
Knighton is very active for his size and absolutely plugs up the run. Seattle has had alot of success with big plugger types in the middle that keep OL off their LB's and let their DE's shoot up field aggressively to rush the passer.

We don't have anybody like that on the roster, and I don't necessarily think it's a do or die thing to have, but it'd be really nice.
 

boozeman

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I'd love Knighton, huge fan of his. I actually wanted us to sign him when he was a free agent 2 or 3 years ago.
He will make a bee line to Oakland. Del Rio is there and they have the money to waste on an older guy like him.

We don't have anybody like that on the roster
Your disrespect of Josh Brent has been noted.
 

ravidubey

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Knighton is very active for his size and absolutely plugs up the run. Seattle has had alot of success with big plugger types in the middle that keep OL off their LB's and let their DE's shoot up field aggressively to rush the passer.
Yep. A bigger athletic interior lineman is always better than a smaller athletic interior lineman. Can't teach someone power.

He will make a bee line to Oakland. Del Rio is there and they have the money to waste on an older guy like him.
He's 28, so not too old.
 
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