FRISCO, Texas – At some point this year, the Cowboys will get Randy Gregory and DeMarcus Lawrence back together on the field.
But it won’t be this week against the Falcons. In fact, they won’t have either one, as Gregory is now also on injured reserve from a calf injury he sustained in practice.
Gregory will now miss at least three games, which would mean he won’t return until at least the New Orleans game, which takes place on December 2. He will be in reserve alongside Lawrence, who has been out since Week 1 with a broken foot, although it seems likely that Lawrence will return in the near future.
But what will they do on Sunday when the Falcons come into town 4-4 after winning three of the last four games?
For starters, the Cowboys will likely turn to Dorance Armstrong and Tarell Basham, who has been the regular starter at defensive end during Lawrence’s absence.
Basham has 16 tackles, one sack and is tied for second on the team with 13 pressures.
Armstrong had a stellar training camp, but suffered a sprained ankle that forced him to miss four games.
“Obviously I also missed a month and this is my third game back, but I’m ready to play,” Armstrong said. “You have to have that next man mentality. But I’ll be ready.”
And, of course, there’s always the option of using rookie linebacker Micah Parsons on the edge. Parsons has played more inside linebacker this year, but has occasionally pushed the quarterback from the defensive end position.
In Week 2 against the Chargers, Parsons rushed from the outside for most of the game and posted a sack. But lately, he’s played more of a linebacker and still rushed from the middle, either as a designated running back or as a blitz. He had 2.5 sacks last week against the Broncos and also has five tackles for loss in the last two games.
