Cowboys defensive end roster review: Recent draft picks have to start stepping up

How confident are you in the young defensive ends on the Cowboys roster?

There could be some big changes at defensive end for the Cowboys in 2024. With two veterans entering free agency and another’s contract in question, Dallas may have to lean on its recent draft picks to fill the depth chart and step into larger roles.

Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler, who were both significant members of the pass-rushing rotation last year, are both set to become free agents. Though DeMarcus Lawrence has one year left on his deal, a $20.5 million cap hit naturally calls his job security into question.

Though not officially a DE according to the team’s website or the NFL, Micah Parsons should really be talked about here. He spends the vast majority of his playing time on the edge as a pass rusher, and continued to shine in that role with 14 sacks in 2023 and a third-straight year as a top-three finisher in Defensive Player of the Year voting.

Armstrong’s 7.5 sacks put him just behind Parsons for the team lead in 2023. Fowler chipped in four sacks despite only playing on about 25% of the defensive snaps. And while Lawrence doesn’t get many sacks, his prowess as a run-stopper and overall backfield disruptor got Tank to the Pro Bowl for the fourth time in his career.

Fowler was a Dan Quinn guy, following him here from Atlanta, so he’s more likely to sign with the Commanders this offseason than return to Dallas. Armstrong is a homegrown talent, which gives him some edge with the front office, but paying him anything significant to stay could be prohibitive depending on other contracts.

One of those other contracts is Lawrence’s. There’s clearly a lot of mutual appreciation between the team and their veteran defender after 10 seasons, evidenced by Lawrence’s willingness to take less money in 2022 to help the salary cap. But with the final year of that deal now creeping back up over $20 million, and especially after two straight Pro Bowls, will he be as willing to take less?

DEs Under Contract for 2024

• DeMarcus Lawrence – $20.45m cap hit
• Micah Parsons (LB) – $5.43m cap hit
• Sam Williams – $1.77m cap hit
• Chauncey Golston – $1.56m cap hit
• Viliami Fehoko – $1.09m cap hit
• Tyrus Wheat – $915k cap hit
• Durrell Johnson – $795k cap hit

Parsons’ contract may also see changes this offseason. While Dallas would love to preserve the incredible discount from the final year of his rookie deal, plus the fifth-year option in 2025, the last three years of superstardom from Parsons could prompt the Cowboys to go ahead and talk about a long-term deal. They’d like to get ahead of even bigger numbers and having to contest with the open market down the road, plus maintain a good relationship with their key defensive asset for years to come. Plus, avoiding things like option years and franchise tags gives Dallas way more salary cap flexibility.

As for the rest of the pack, Sam Williams’ third season comes with heightened expectations just as some of his biggest competition for playing time could be leaving. The Cowboys may be more willing to let Armstrong walk if they think Williams can handle an increased role. He’s certainly shown raw pass-rushing talent, but consistency has been lacking so far in his short career.

Chauncey Golston and Viliami Fehoko are both larger DE prospects, more likely to play on run defense or move inside and play some tackle against the pass. Golston didn’t take the next step in his third season, leaving some doubt to his long-term value, and Fehoko was inactive or injured for his entire rookie year. Neither can be relied on heavily in 2024.

Even if Lawrence returns, which feels likely at this point, he and Parsons can’t do it all. The Cowboys will have to either re-sign Armstrong or make some other additions to keep their rotation solid. Williams could blossom but you can’t count on it, and anything you get out of the other prospects is gravy.

The change in defensive coordinator shouldn’t bring much difference in the types of DEs that Dallas looks for. The defense overall needs to get stronger against the run but that seems to be more an issue of their linebackers and defensive tackles. So as far as free agency or the draft goes, the Cowboys’ targets for defensive ends should be consistent with recent years.

The key will be how much they’re willing or able to spend depending on what Lawrence and Parsons are making this year. It’d be nice to lean on younger, cheaper talent from the recent draft selections to fill out the depth chart but we’re just not there yet. And with a new coordinator in town, that could also shift loyalty away from existing talent to fresh faces either from Mike Zimmer’s past stops or just his own preferences in talent.

At the very least, DeMarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons should still be featured in their usual roles. But how things look behind them could get interesting as key backups enter free agency and other prospects face mounting expectations. These factors, and especially if Lawrence’s contract does become a sticking point, could make it a busy offseason for the Cowboys at defensive end.