Games are often won and lost in the trenches, and the interior defensive line usually plays a major role in deciding the NFC East division. The Dallas Cowboys entered last season hoping to reestablish itself as the standard up front, but failed to get the job done. The issues were easy to see: poor coaching and technique changes under defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton and defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. The Cowboys’ fondness for undersized defensive tackles who could rush the passer but struggled against the run didn’t help either.
Even with the midseason addition of All‑Pro Quinnen Williams, the Cowboys never consistently solved their issues on the line; stopping the run and generating pressure up the middle. Those failures forced a reset. They parted ways with Whitecotton, signaling a change in coaching style and personnel usage by bringing on Marcus Dixon.
Roster moves followed as the Cowboys traded both Solomon Thomas (256 pounds) and Osa Odighizuwa (280 pounds), their lightest interior defenders. The duo combined for 64 pressures and three sacks last season, providing meaningful pass‑rush production, but both struggled against the run. They were replaced by Otito Ogbonnia (320 pounds) and Jonathan Bullard (290 pounds). Neither moves the needle as a pressure generator, but both bring stability against the run.
But are these changes enough for Dallas to become the NFC East’s best interior defensive line?
The moves make sense on paper, but shedding talented players is always a risk. Luckily, turnover at defensive tackle around the division has weakened several units, but the underlying numbers suggest the Cowboys might not take a step forward this season.
Comparing ProFootballFocus grades and last season’s production against the revamped rosters, Dallas’ interior group isn’t expected to become a better pass‑rushing unit. The departures of Thomas and Odighizuwa led to roughly a three‑point drop in the overall interior grade, while the run‑defense grade remained unchanged. A big concern for a defense that relies heavily on interior disruption to help its underperforming edge rushers, but one the Cowboys clearly have planned for.
This group can still improve this season. If Dallas leans more heavily on its bigger bodies on early downs and players’ strengths, the on‑field results could outperform the projections. But based on their current personnel’s recent production, the changes don’t seem to be enough to elevate this unit.
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys shuffled this defensive position, but it doesn’t help on paper
Reporting by Terence Watson , Cowboys Wire / Cowboys Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
