Cowboys defensive ends all have something to prove in 2024
The Cowboys’ defensive ends enter 2024 with lots of questions about their futures with the team. From young phenom Micah Parsons all the way down the depth chart, everyone’s got something to prove in the upcoming season.
Yes, Parsons is technically a linebacker on the official roster but we’re slotting him here based on how he’s actually used. Until Dallas announces they’re moving to a 3-4 scheme, Parsons is effectively a DE as he spends the majority of his time rushing the passer.
After three years as one of the top defensive players in all football, Parsons has already proven plenty. But 2024 will be his first without Dan Quinn as defensive coordinator; an intriguing “chicken and egg” debate as both arrived in 2021 and helped each other look fantastic. The debate over how much Quinn made Parsons a superstar versus how much Parsons made Quinn look like a genius will get some new evidence this year.
Thankfully for Parsons, Mike Zimmer is no slouch himself as a coordinator. And with Dallas’ additions of veteran Eric Kendricks and rookie Marist Liufau in the offseason, plus DeMarvion Overshown’s return from injury, we can expect Parsons to see little change in how he’s deployed. He’ll still be a pass-rusher first, hence why he should still be talked about the defensive ends.
Parsons’ performance this season is key as he enters the final year of his rookie contract. He does have the fifth-year option exercised for 2025 but, like we’re seeing now with WR Ceedee Lamb, it’s doubtful that Parsons is willing to play for half of his market value. If he puts in another season as a Defensive Player of the Year candidate, expect Parsons to be every bit as aggressive in seeking a new deal as Lamb is.
Fellow starter DeMarcus Lawrence also needs to worry about his next contract, though it probably won’t come from the Cowboys. Lawrence is a free agent after this year and Dallas will likely move on to cheaper options. Lawrence counts $20.4 million against the cap this season and will still carry a $7.4 million dead money hit in 2025 thanks to a void year, but his departure will free up a large chunk of much-needed space. Turning 33 next April, Lawrence needs to prove he’s still one of the NFL’s best run defenders before hitting the open market.
One reason the Cowboys are likely to let Lawrence walk is having just spent a second-round pick on Marshawn Kneeland. While most fans clamored for a running back or other options when Dallas was on the clock, few could argue with the Kneeland pick once it was announced. He even scouts like Lawrence in terms of build and athleticism, plus likely being more proficient against the run than as a pass rusher. Ideally, Kneeland will be ready to step into the starting role in 2025 but needs a strong rookie year to earn that trust.
A young DE prospect that Dallas needs to step up immediately is Sam Williams. Entering the all-important third year, Williams has an open lane to a heavy part of the rotation after Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler followed Quinn to Washington. He’ll get every opportunity to fill their shoes and the box score as a pass rusher, but a down year could have the Cowboys bringing in new options next spring. Williams saw what happened to Kelvin Joseph in his third season, so draft pedigree will only get him so far.
One of Joseph’s fellow 2021 draft picks, Chauncey Golston, is in an even more critical situation on an expiring contract. While not a bust like Joseph or Nahshon Wright, he hasn’t shined like Parsons or Osa Odighizuwa from that class. Golston has gone about his work quietly as a run-focused DE that spells Lawrence at times, getting few opportunities to stand out. Now that Kneeland’s here, Golston has to hope he gets on the field enough to make a case for his 2025 free agency.
There should be no lack of hunger in the pack this season, and that’s good for the Cowboys. Micah Parsons is still here to help raise all ships, but how much of the last three seasons was Dan Quinn’s work as well? How the DEs perform in 2024 will be a major indicator of what Dallas had in Quinn, gained or lost in Mike Zimmer, and needs to do with these players as contracts come up over the next two offseasons.