Newsletter

Is Brent Urban the piece that the ground defense of the

There is no question that Dallas’ defense performed poorly last season, especially in the rushing game. In 2020, the Cowboys were the second team with the most rushing yards allowed at 2,541, slightly fewer than the Texans (2,564 yards). Therefore, one of the team’s priorities when looking for reinforcements was to incorporate players who could improve this facet of the game. And one of those players is Brent Urban.

Coming to Dallas as a free agent, Urban is coming off his best season as a professional with the Bears. So much so, that Urban was rated by Pro Football Focus (PFF) as the third best indoor defensive lineman of 2020, further registering a score of 83.7 in rushing defense.

Because of that performance, versatility, and long arms (a trait defensive coordinator Dan Quinn looks for in players), Brent Urban appears to be the piece that Dallas’ defensive line needed. In fact, the former Bears already knows that he will be in charge of “dirty work”: plugging the holes and stopping the running game.

“I do a good job being robust up front, taking on double teams and doing the dirty work to allow the guys (linebackers) to run free.”Urban told the media after the second day of the Cowboys’ mini-camp. “That is part of the reason I came here. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to keep doing that, to help raise this defense and allow athletes to be athletes. “.

Brent Urban knows that this role is not something that usually comes out among the best plays of the game, but that it ends up being recognized in the long run. Such was the case with Red Bryant, who had that same role in the defense of the Seahawks known as the “Legion of Boom” that won the Super Bowl in the 2013 season. Defense, coincidentally, directed by Dan Quinn.

However, Urban understands the importance of that “silent” role on the defensive line. Therefore, he takes it on with pride.

“You have to do it. It’s not flashy work, but you can identify the great defenders when they do that work. “Urban said last week. “It is an important job. It requires someone selfless to do it. It is something I am proud of. I just want to win. I am willing to do whatever it takes to achieve it. I understand that, with my size and my attributes, that’s what I’m good at “.

Urban’s numbers with the Bears in 2020 speak for him: 36 combined tackles, 2 turnover tackles, 4 quarterbacks, 2.5 sacks and one defended pass. All this participating in the 16 matches of the campaign, 8 of them as a starter. It is worth mentioning that these numbers were recorded playing as a defensive tackler, while in previous years he had played as a defensive end.

With his versatility and physical characteristics, Brent Urban fits into defensive coordinator Dan Quinn’s plans. We do not know for sure if Quinn will attempt to implement elements of the “Legion of Boom” in the defense of Dallas. But something we do know is that the coach likes players who can adapt to different positions and schemes. And that’s something Urban liked.

“I had the option of going to various teams”Urban said at the aforementioned press conference. “That talks about my conversations with Dan Quinn, about knowing this defense and how I fit into it. I was super excited, and I’m very excited to be here. “.

In fact, Quinn isn’t the only one who thinks Urban is a perfect fit for what the Cowboys defense needs. Head coach Mike McCarthy also praised Urban, showing satisfaction with the defensive lineman’s performance thus far.

“Brent is doing well, I love the way he works.”McCarthy said in an interview for D210 Sports a few days ago. “Before coming here, I was watching the individual defensive drills with Will McClay, and we were talking about what a great signing (Urban) was for us. So I love what he has given us so far “.

Urban is expected to be a good part of the Dallas defense, playing as a starting defensive tackle or even being part of the rotation. The truth is, if the Cowboys are to have a dominant defense in 2021, some of the credit will go to those in the trenches. And one of them, if everything goes according to plan, could be Brent Urban.

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Trending