Training camp is finally underway, in a way, boosting our anticipation of the return of football. Dallas Cowboys rookies are cleared into the Star in Frisco, and next week the veterans will join the process. Due to the very restrictive nature of the camp and the expected elimination of all preseason games, this season, if it goes as planned, will force all teams to rely even more on their veterans. Dallas is fortunate to have a lot of talent. He’s inclined towards attack, but in a recent top 10 list ESPN felt they also had a pretty good pass passer in defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, who squeaked in his last place.
10. DeMarcus Lawrence, Dallas Cowboys
Age: 28 | Highest rank: 3 | Lowest ranking: Out of the poll
Lawrence and Danielle Hunter had an equal number of votes, but Lawrence broke the tie with two more votes in the top five than Hunter. It’s surprising to see a player with five sacks last season on this list, but Lawrence drew regular doubles teams while Quinn ate sacks.
“At some point you have to go through someone – if you can’t, the tackle will be soft on you and the speed will be toned down,” an NFC official said. “[Lawrence] is one of the best to use his power.
Lawrence won on 25.8% of his passes, which makes his low sack totally curious. But coaches appreciate his versatility in rushing the passer or stopping the race. He also earned a rating of 86.3 PFF last year.
“He’s not as consistent as I would like, but he deserves it,” said a veteran defensive coach. “Can rush in and out.”
Lawrence got mixed reviews, as indicated by the highest and lowest rankings, and this is also true of his perception of the Cowboys fan base. Many lock in on his relative lack of sacks last season, but people who vote in this table recognize that bringing down the quarterback is a team effort, and many accept the idea that Robert Quinn was Lawrence’s beneficiary. being the center of attention. blocking.
ESPN attempted to get a broad view in this ranking:
To preview the 2020 NFL season, we asked over 50 league executives, coaches, scouts and players to help us stack the top 10 players in 11 different positions (sorry, special teams).
Therefore, it reflects a league-wide view of Lawrence, which may be different from that of local media and Cowboys fans.
One thing that really doesn’t change is how badly the defense is going to need him to be the big passing threat again. While Aldon Smith now joins him on the line and the underrated Tyrone Crawford is also in good health, they will likely be more valuable in the role of Quinn, feeding off the attention directed to the left side of the defense. . Not only does Lawrence rate doubles teams, he’s the player facing the quarterback, drawing even more attention to himself and making things a little easier for whoever manages the bookend.
This is perhaps only one point of view. But ESPN isn’t alone in praising Lawrence. The Draft Network not only sees him as the best passer in the NFC East, but they see him as the best defensive player, period.
Best Defensive Player: Demarcus Lawrence, EDGE, Dallas Cowboys
Fletcher Cox probably would have been the choice if it weren’t for a foot injury that hampered his 2019 exit, but that being the unfortunate case, Demarcus Lawrence is the choice here instead. Although he has also seen a drop in bag production like Cox (5.5), Lawrence has always had a quality 2019 season, placing third in ESPN’s ‘win rate’ measure and posting a complete domination in the racing game. With his big contract and the unmissable Dallas spotlight, many saw Lawrence’s core numbers and assumed he was disappointed, but that’s just not the case.
Also featuring some quality pressure figures, much of what Lawrence does isn’t flashy and won’t get much attention, but he’s a fantastic on-board presence with the ability to completely change the game. .
Dallas has a new defensive coordinator in Mike Nolan as well as Jim Tomsula taking over, but with the restrictions forced to prepare for the season, they may have to rely a little more on the fallout than they would like. With Lawrence, that should be a plus.
