Earlier, we rounded up the Dallas Cowboys leaders in offensive stats. Unsurprisingly, Dak Prescott is expected to lead Dallas in passing numbers. Who leads the team in accelerating results is a bit more complicated. There is some uncertainty expected with the addition of Brian Schottenheimer to take over as Colin Moore’s offensive coordinator. What is not complicated, however, is the defensive side of the ball.
Since Dan Quinn was hired as Defensive Coordinator, the Cowboys defensive unit has blossomed into a stable group. They are arguably one of the best and fastest defenses in the league, while also having the flexibility to play several different fronts and align their personnel in a variety of ways. To keep up with the topic of predicting the Cowboys’ statistical leaders, here are the Cowboys’ statistical leaders projected on defense and an approximation of those totals.
total interventions
At first, it took some thought as to who would best choose to lead the Cowboys in this category. Donovan Wilson led the team with 101 tackles last season and despite missing time due to a neck injury, linebacker Leighton Vander Esch is second with 90. In the end, Jayron Kearse seems like the most logical choice. Vander Esch and Wilson have both been given new contracts and will be on the team after this season. Meanwhile, Jayron Kearse is in the final year of his contract and everyone knows that’s when a chip on a player’s shoulder looks more like a 2X4.
However, Kearse deserves some of the credit for the Cowboys defense’s turnaround in recent years. One of the reasons the Cowboys have one of the fastest defenses in the league is because they use their safeties seamlessly throughout their defense. Since arriving in dallas from Detroit LionsKearse has made a name for itself through its versatility. Kearse can play close to the line of scrimmage as a false linebacker and has the skill to cover tight ends farther from the line of scrimmage. Kearse also led the team in total tackles in 2021. His speed, skills, and instincts for navigating an effective path to the ball carrier make him the first choice for the leading Cowboys in this category.
Leader: Jayron Kearse, 117 tackles
Loss interventions
Normally, you would expect this stat to be led by a player playing along the defensive line. Those considered would be DeMarcus Lawrence, who was a very effective defender against running and reaching the ball carrier behind the line of scrimmage. Micah Parsons has led the team in this division the past two seasons with 33 tackles for loss (TFL) since 2021. Then you have Sam Williams who played as an extra defender and had ten TFL tackles in his rookie year.
However, Damon Clarke is my choice for this stat, and here’s why. Think about the progress Clarke made last season. First, Clark was not expected to enter the field last year. After undergoing spinal fusion surgery in the spring of 2022, it was believed that Clark would face a red-shirt season and be sidelined for his rookie campaign. Not only did Clark play, but he also significantly increased playing time as the season progressed, overtaking Gabriel Cox on the depth chart.
Clarke has to jump in his progress, given he’s had a full season to mature both physically and mentally. You also have to take into account that Parsons has changed his physique to play more frequently along the defensive line, which opens up more opportunities for Clark. In addition, the team took over business in the trenches by re-signing Jonathan Hankins to play Tech 1 on their defense and drafting Mazie Smith in the first round. The improved instincts, renewed dedication to the defensive inside and Clark’s speed will see him lead the team in tackles for loss.
Leader: Damon Clarke, 11
bags
Don’t tell me you were expecting anyone but Micah Parsons. Parsons is “it”. Dubbed “The Lion”, Parsons stalked and stalked opposing quarterbacks at a brisk pace. At just 23 years old, Parsons has recorded 26.5 sacks which is one of the NFL’s scariest passing games. There are so many things he’s doing well at such a young age, there’s no reason to think he’s anywhere near his full potential. Parsons can convert speed into power, can dunk his shoulder into the corner against offensive tackles, and has excellent closing speed when rushing through the A and B gaps.
As mentioned earlier, Sam Williams had a very good first year and Dorrance Armstrong showed huge strides last season. His climb takes the pressure off Lawrence and Parsons to speed up the passer. Another added benefit is the team sportswear indoors. Osa Odighizuwa is very smart for his size as Neville Gallimore. Both inside linemen working alongside Parsons when lined up at the rim on the twists and stunts up front can lead to more production. Parsons would come close to breaking DeMarcus Ware’s record for most sacks in a season by a Cowboy (20).
Leader: Micah Parsons, 19
objections
The obvious choice here would be Trevon Diggs, and with good reason. In 2021, Diggs led the NFL with 11 interceptions and was named an All-Pro by the associated press. While some have argued that Diggs has been better in 2022, he has allowed far fewer yards to be covered, and has not intercepted anywhere near as many passes. The likely reason is that it was about twenty percent less targeted than it was in the year of the breakout. It only took him one season, but quarterbacks quickly learned not to throw the ball in his direction. This also meant bad news for the other side of the domain.
It’s been well documented, but the Cowboys suffered a lot from injuries in the secondary stage. Anthony Brown tore his Achilles v New York Giants And from that point on, the team had a revolving door in the corner opposite Diggs. For a time, the Cowboys gave Kelvin Joseph a chance to take over, but he fared poorly and allowed a 147.9 passer rating while covering him. To address this issue, the team acquired former Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmour in hopes of finding a solution to their coverage questions.
Gilmour is long in the teeth as he enters his 11th season in the NFL but still has excellent instincts and knows how to position the football and has had eleven assists defended a game. Indianapolis Colts last year. Let’s also not forget DaRon Bland. Bland was pressured into action after the Cowboys lost another cornerback, Jordan Lewis, to a season-ending foot injury. Bland showed excellent skills with the ball out of the hole and intercepted five passes, many of which were stronger at point catch than receiver. Bland and Diggs are similar in this respect.
Ultimately, it would be Diggs who would lead the team in interceptions. He is entering the final year of his contract and is poised for a huge pay raise. If he has half of the 2021 season in production, expect the armored truck parked in his driveway.