Interview: DL Brent Urban to play huge role on and off the field for the Cowboys in 2021

DL Brent Urban’s veteran presence will play a huge factor in Cowboys success in 2021.

It’s rare that a 30-year-old defensive linemen is the veteran in the room in today’s NFL, but for Brent Urban, he’s just that.

For years the Cowboys veterans on the defensive line that have been brought in from the outside have struggled to pan out. Whether it be Gerald McCoy, Aldon Smith, Dontari Poe, or Kerry Hyder, the veteran defensive linemen have rarely worked out, but there’s a different feel with Brent Urban.

For a defense that was downright atrocious against the run last year, Brent Urban’s size, length, and strong anchor gives this year’s run defense a chance. On a defense that has lacked pass rush from the interior since Maliek Collins’ departure, Brent Urban’s length, explosiveness, and power gives the interior of the defensive line some juice when rushing the passer on early downs. One thing we weren’t too familiar with is how much of a veteran presence he’d bring to the locker room.

Brent Urban and his wife Kate Urban joined this week’s episode of Talkin’ The Star to discuss a variety of things. Listen to the episode right here and make sure to subscribe to the Blogging The Boys podcast network wherever you get your podcasts. Apple devices can subscribe here and Spotify users can subscribe here.

When speaking with him for an interview on this week’s Talkin’ the Star episode, Urban talked a lot about coming into Dallas looking to lead and teach the young guys on this defense as much as possible. And the Cowboys certainly have a lot of young guys on defense this year, with a sizable group of along the defensive line that will benefit from his experience.

As he mentions in the episode, this is one of the first opportunities he has had to command a locker room given his age and experience with such a young defensive group. From an on-the-field and off-the-field perspective, Urban’s presence will be felt in 2021.

Urban, who is currently on a one-year deal with the team, made it plain how important these practices, games, and this season is for him. While he’s excited to help this Dallas defense, he’s as “team-first” as it gets and that’s something this defense has severely lacked for some time. His versatility along the line will be important to the coaching staff as will his leadership with a defense looking to bounce back from a terrible season. Many of his statements in the interview point to just how hungry he is, and how he carries himself as a player.

For the Cowboys defense to be good in 2021, Brent Urban is going to need to play a massive role. After speaking with him, it’s hard not to think that the Cowboys defensive line will be improved from 2020 to 2021, and part of that will be Brent Urban’s presence on the field, in the locker room, and off the field.