PFT: Cowboys “excited” by defensive end Ryan Russell’s development

Cowboys “excited” by defensive end Ryan Russell’s development

Posted by Josh Alper on July 5, 2016, 10:41 AM EDT

With defensive ends Demarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory suspended for the first four games of the season, the Cowboys will need others at the position to step up once September rolls around.

It looks like Ryan Russell will be one of the players given the chance to do more. Russell only played in one game last season after the team made him a fifth-round draft choice, but saw time with the first team during OTAs and defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli said he handled it well while acknowledging things are different when the pads come on.

Coach Jason Garrett is confident that Russell will continue to do well at the next stage.

“Ryan has done a really nice job,” Garrett said, via the Dallas Morning News. “He’s made a lot of strides over the course of this offseason coming out of his rookie year. He’s worked very hard. We do think he has versatility to play on either side and he has ability to rush. Technically, he’s gotten better. Emotionally, he’s gotten better. I think you see that on the field. I’m excited at where his development is.”

Benson Mayowa also seems a good bet to see playing time after the Cowboys signed him away from Oakland as a restricted free agent, but the competition should be a pretty open one once camp opens this month.

Let's see what he does in pads.

Fun.

I can never tell the difference between bullshit hype and real improvement with this team. I really like Russell's potential and think he could make a giant leap this year but I also don't necissarily trust the teams reports to not just be fluff either. The key to me is if Marinelli trusts him or not. If Russell really plays I think he does well.

Cowboysrock55 said:

I can never tell the difference between bullshit hype and real improvement with this team.

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I can.

I find it hard to recall any of these players the braintrust is "excited" about pan out. They were "excited" about turds like Costa and Ogletree and they couldn't play despite the infinite and idiotic patience given to both of them.

Eh. I'll be cautiously optimistic since this wasn't written by Spagnola because he's such a dang excuse making team apologist tool.

We'll just have to wait and see. I sure hope he pans out though.

boozeman said:

I can.

I find it hard to recall any of these players the braintrust is "excited" about pan out. They were "excited" about turds like Costa and Ogletree and they couldn't play despite the infinite and idiotic patience given to both of them.

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Oh we have seen plenty of players they were excited over that did work out. But of course there are also plenty who didn't.

I really liked what I saw from Russel during training camp workouts last year. I always got the impression that Marinelli was riding him because he thought he could become something. I guess we will have to wait and see though. I'm not thinking anything special, but maybe he could be a 6 or 7 sack type DE.

Cowboysrock55 said:

I can never tell the difference between bullshit hype and real improvement with this team. I really like Russell's potential and think he could make a giant leap this year but I also don't necissarily trust the teams reports to not just be fluff either. The key to me is if Marinelli trusts him or not. If Russell really plays I think he does well.

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I know, the hype this time of year is alway interesting. Every summer we hear raving reviews of some pedestrian/avg player and when the season rolls around most of the time they turn out to be the same avg player they were the previous year. A few instances the player ended up getting cut prior to or during camp.

It'd be nice if Russell panned out but at this point, I'll believe it when I see it.

Cowboysrock55 said:

Oh we have seen plenty of players they were excited over that did work out.

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Like who? Like I said before, I can't recall anyone recently who the organization over hyped that really panned out.

That makes one of us.

boozeman said:

Like who? Like I said before, I can't recall anyone recently who the organization over hyped that really panned out.

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Orlando Scandrick, Cole Beasley and of course guys like Dez Bryant and Tony Romo.

Cowboysrock55 said:

I can never tell the difference between bullshit hype and real improvement with this team. I really like Russell's potential and think he could make a giant leap this year but I also don't necissarily trust the teams reports to not just be fluff either. The key to me is if Marinelli trusts him or not. If Russell really plays I think he does well.

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Very true. Let's hope it's for real, he'd be a shot in the arm.

I dunno, Russell is like a lot of guys we've picked up lately who have physical talent but other issues. In Russell's case it was a bad motor.

So of course those guys are going to flash at times -- they have talent. But who knows if they'll ever be consistent. There's a reason guys like him weren't better college players.