More likely for Cowboys in 2020: DeMarcus Lawrence against high school

Everyone is excited about the Cowboys offense. With players of skill who have already produced, as well as the addition of CeeDee Lamb, things are going well there. It is the defense (and special teams) that seem to raise the biggest concerns of the loyal Cowboys.

The Cowboys weren’t really great in 2019 in a few key categories for quality defensive play. They placed 19th in sacks with 39 and were tied last with seven interceptions. To make matters worse, 11.5 bags went through the door in the person of Robert Quinn.

As we look to 2020, the focus is again on defense. The Cowboys called on Gerald McCoy, Dontari Poe and Aldon Smith to help along the defensive line, and re-tooled their high school with additions from Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Trevon Diggs, among others.

Which brings us to our question: who is more likely, DeMarcus Lawrence gets 11 bags or high school is responsible for nine interceptions?

the ByMarcus Lawrence file

DeMarcus Lawrence has had a career from top to bottom so far, especially when it comes to bags. Injury and a suspension limited him early in his career where he sandwiched a second year of eight bags with a rookie campaign without a bag and a bag in his third year.

It wasn’t until 2017 when Lawrence started being a regular at every game as he put injuries behind him. That year, he accumulated a high number of 14.5 sacks in his career. He followed that up in 2018 with 10.5 bags and won a huge Cowboys salary. 2019 has been a down year for Tank when it comes to bags, as it has only accumulated five for the season.

Lawrence has already promised to increase his number of bags for 2020.

After counting just five bags last season, what happened to you last year?

Lawrence: “Nothing happened to me last year. I know I finished the season with five sacks, but I also helped other players increase their double-digit numbers. It is not a solo game and I know how to play the game the right way. I know how to make coins when the coins come my way. And I also know how to make sure my teammates play well. You don’t have to worry about anything. Trust me, the bag number will be saved. “

The Cowboys are trying to add help to Lawrence in 2020, especially after the departure of Robert Quinn. This could be a double-edged sword for Lawrence in terms of his bag total. Guys like Gerald McCoy, Aldon Smith and maybe Randy Gregory could grab some of the Cowboys’ bags, making it difficult for Lawrence to hit 11. On the other hand, more talent means that opposing offenses cannot not focus as much on Tank, which opens up the opportunity for more bags.

In addition, Mike Nolan’s new defensive pattern will not be as predictable and it could also help Lawrence to face favorable clashes and recover bags. After such a big salary, Lawrence definitely has the motivation to prove that he is among the elite pass runners, and although the bags aren’t everything, they are a big measure stick for the pass runners.

The secondary file

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before – the Cowboys are going to be focusing on sales this season. This has been a constant refrain from the team, but has yet to materialize in a sustainable way. Interceptions were a big problem in this equation.

Over the past four years, Cowboys high school has represented nine, nine, six and five interceptions. We have removed the linebackers (and the defensive line) from this scorecard and are only focusing on turns and safety.

The Cowboys lost Byron Jones, who had elite cover skills, but only made two interceptions during that four-year period. While it’s hard to judge how a rookie corner at Trevon Diggs can cope in their first season in the NFL, the Cowboys have brought security Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. He has 16 career interceptions over six years, including a season of five interceptions in 2016. He had only one year where he failed to get more than one interception and it was in his season recruit.

The new Cowboys coaching staff has committed, like those who have gone before, to focus on takeout. There is, however, a difference. This year, Mike Nolan is the new coordinator and he is known to execute a multiple defense that will change the covers and disguise things before breaking up. This is a big difference from the predictable defenses led by Rod Marinelli who did not seem to have much luck in the turnover department. This could create confusion for the offenses and lead to more errors.

So this is it. Your turn to comment – who is more likely in 2020? 11 bags of DeMarcus Lawrence or nine Cowboys high school interceptions?