ARLINGTON, Texas — Jerry Jones was joined on stage by several other notable members of the Dallas-Fort Worth-area sports community Tuesday when he turned to DeMarcus Ware.
He looked at the 42-year-old Pro Football Hall of Famer, who recorded 117 sacks during nine seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, and said, “We need you out here this week.”
The crowd that was gathered for an announcement about IndyCar’s Grand Prix of Arlington in 2026 erupted in laughter. But Jones actually might not have been kidding. Dallas is extremely thin at defensive end. Sam Williams suffered a season-ending knee injury in training camp. DeMarcus Lawrence was placed on injured reserve last week because of a foot injury. Micah Parsons missed Sunday night’s game with a high ankle sprain. Marshawn Kneeland avoided what looked like a potential season-ending knee injury Sunday night but is expected to miss at least a month.
The Cowboys have lost four defensive ends to injuries. Jerry Jones hoping to get some help from DeMarcus Ware pic.twitter.com/SjwX3Ex1Oa
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) October 8, 2024
Entering the season, the expectation was that Parsons and Lawrence would give Dallas one of the NFL’s best pass-rushing duos and Williams and Kneeland would provide excellent depth and upside. Now, they are relying on Chauncey Golston, Carl Lawson, Tyrus Wheat and KJ Henry.
Many would suggest Jones and company be aggressive and make a trade to help at the position. Jones doesn’t see it that way. He views it as an opportunity for the youth on the roster to step up.
“I agree with be aggressive,” Jones said. “But the guys we got out there, be aggressive. From that standpoint, yes, let’s be aggressive. We’ve got guys on the practice squad that can step up there and make those plays. We brought in one (Henry) last week. Aggressive in the sense of being aggressive about letting the guys that you have as depth go play. And that’s what is important.
“Let me be real clear about something, the more of your depth that can play is a positive. You’re in a dream world if you don’t think you’re going to have to play depth in the NFL. If that depth is young, then that’s another step for the future games that will be coming down the road this year and years in the future.”
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy has often pointed out the importance of depth, noting that it took 77 players for the Green Bay Packers team he coached in 2010 to win the Super Bowl. Dallas’ injury issues go well beyond the defensive line. Cornerbacks DaRon Bland (foot) and Caelen Carson (shoulder) have missed time. Wide receiver Brandin Cooks (knee) was put on IR on Saturday. Rookie left tackle Tyler Guyton left Sunday night’s game with a knee injury.
Lawrence isn’t expected back for another month. Kneeland is likely out for four to six weeks. Parsons could return this week but it’s much more likely he sits out Sunday against the Detroit Lions and returns in two weeks against San Francisco because the Cowboys have their bye week next week.
“He’s close,” Jones said of Parsons. “The real question for me is how close, and no one knows that at this time. We’ll have to see how the week goes.”
Cooks is expected to return after his four games on IR. That would bring him back Nov. 10 for the game against the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles. Guyton avoided a serious injury and has a chance to play this week. Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones told the team’s website that Bland has a “real chance” to play this Sunday.
Outsiders look at these injuries as reason to improve the roster outside of those already working at The Star. Jerry Jones doesn’t see it that way. After recently paying Dak Prescott to be the NFL’s highest-paid player and CeeDee Lamb to be the league’s second-highest-paid non-quarterback, the Cowboys have two roster goals remaining. They want to make sure Parsons stays beyond his rookie contract, and they will look to fill out the rest of the roster by stacking successful draft classes. Playing young, inexperienced players is a big part of that plan. It appears they are getting a jump start on what the future will look like in Dallas.
Going with so much youth and not making many notable veteran offseason additions, the Cowboys might appear to some to be in a “soft rebuild.” But Jones doesn’t like to use those words. He got defensive Tuesday when that was suggested.
“What you’re seeing is par for our course,” he said. “Our team is structured that way, so that unless you just have a complete wipeout at a position at many depths of the roster, we should have people ready to step up and go out there and play a football game, good enough to win. We did against Pittsburgh.”
The Cowboys defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 20-17 on Sunday night with Golston, Wheat and Lawson as their primary defensive end rotation. Each finished with a half sack and totaled four QB hits as Dallas sacked Steelers quarterback Justin Fields three times and hit him eight times.
“The (only) positive of losing a player is that a young player,” Jerry Jones said, “usually your depth, is going to get some reps, a player that can get better for the future.”
(Photo of Tyrus Wheat: Brandon Sloter / Getty Images)
