As the Cowboys kick off training camp in Oxnard, California, one of the deepest positions on the team is the defensive line.
The Cowboys have picked four defensive linemen in the top 100 of the draft since 2020, have invested money in retaining DeMarcus Lawrence and Dorance Armstrong, and when the team does make its modest free agent acquisitions, defensive line is usually one of the positions they choose to invest in.
That kind of investment in the position means the team will likely have some tough decisions to make when they cut the roster down to 53 players.
Here are four defensive linemen on the bubble as training camp opens:
Tarell Basham
While the Cowboys as a team started off hot, and cooled down in the second half of 2021, Tarell Basham was the exact opposite of that, playing much better football in the second half of the season than he had early on.
First 8 Games of 2021: 318 snaps, 1 sack, 3 QB hits, 1 solo run tackle
Last 9 Games of 2021: 309 snaps, 2.5 sacks, 8 QB hits, 10 solo run tackles
Basham is on the bubble simply because of numbers. Drafting Sam Williams, retaining Dorance Armstrong, and signing Dante Fowler makes the edge group a little crowded, especially when you consider some of those edge snaps will be taken by Micah Parsons. Chauncey Golston’s move inside to 3-technique could open the door for Basham to make the 53, but the numbers are still tight.
A cheap veteran pass rusher who put out good film in 2021 could be intriguing to a team looking to trade for depth at the end of training camp. If the Cowboys are looking to add depth at receiver, or any other position, they could potentially move Basham in a surplus-for-surplus trade, similar to the one they made when they traded Charvarius Ward at the end of training camp in 2018 for offensive lineman Parker Ehinger.
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Quinton Bohanna
The Cowboys aren’t as averse to 1-technique defensive tackles with Dan Quinn running the defense as they were with Rod Marinelli, but it’s still a position where you generally run lighter.
Dallas drafted John Ridgeway in the fifth round of April’s draft, and believe he can contribute in significant ways, not only with his skill, but with his toughness and leadership traits.
With Ridgeway functioning as a true 1-technique, and Neville Gallimore adding significant weight this offseason to contribute more at 1-technique, it becomes difficult to find snaps for Bohanna.
Trysten Hill
The talent is there with Trysten Hill. He has the power and initial quickness to be a difference maker at defensive tackle. It’s why Dallas picked him in the second round of the 2019 draft.
Hill’s inability to realize his potential to this point has come down to injuries and immaturity. The Cowboys want him not just to improve as a football player, but to learn what it means to really be a professional.
Hill flashed at times during OTA practices, and he’ll undoubtedly flash here in Oxnard. But if he wants to make this roster he’ll need to turn those flashes into consistent play.
Carlos Watkins
I had Watkins on my final 53-man roster, but if the Cowboys decide to keep any of the three aforementioned players, it’s likely going to be at Watkins’ expense.
Watkins had his best year as a pro in 2021, providing solid run defense, and demonstrating flexibility to play inside on a four man front, or outside when Dan Quinn goes to three linemen. That flexibility is always valuable, which is why the Cowboys re-signed him this offseason, and why I believe he has the edge over these other three at the moment.
Even with those things working in his favor, Watkins’ contract isn’t difficult to walk away from, and any one of Basham, Bohanna, or Hill could step up during camp and make Watkins expendable.
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