Why Dante Fowler leaving may be a good thing for Cowboys
This is a dangerous time of the year to make any type of declarative statements about the upcoming season. Early in free agency, the Cowboys roster is contracting rather than expanding, and projecting what the roster will look like once the season begins is next to impossible.
With only subtractions on the ledger, the only room for positivity lie in identifying “addition by subtraction” situations. In this case, that positive subtraction could be Dante Fowler as his departure means more opportunity for someone with more upside.
This isn’t to say Fowler has been a bad player or a bad teammate. All indications are he’s been nothing but solid since joining this franchise two seasons ago. In that time, he’s logged 10 sacks, 12 tackles for loss and 33 pressures in the defensive end rotation. He’s been a productive and reliable player, participating in all 34 games since joining Dallas. It’s really no surprise when Dan Quinn left Dallas to coach the Commanders this offseason, Fowler was one of the first players he signed.
There’s loyalty between Fowler and Quinn in this now three-time pairing. It’s a relationship that’s served each side well even if it might have come at a cost to the development of others in Dallas.
Here are the defensive lineman who've had the highest % of their snaps come in expected pass situations in the last 2 years (when expectation to pass is > 75%). Not a surprise to see Uche/Huff and 2 & 3. Bills paying Von Miller that huge contract for him to be 11 here is no bueno https://t.co/NPNJGhiV39 pic.twitter.com/eeRMBc233f
— Arjun Menon (@arjunmenon100) March 8, 2024
For a young and hungry defensive end, pass rushing snaps are king. Pressures and sacks are the best way to get your name on the map and carve out an NFL career. Financially the difference between a run stopping DE and pass rushing DE can be astronomical. Pass rushers get the snaps, money, and fame. The DEs who play more running downs almost play in the shadows by comparison.
So when Quinn divided roles within his defensive end rotation and gave the highest proportion of pass rushing snaps to Fowler, his loyal solider, it came at a cost to others. 206 of Fowler’s 275 snaps in 2023 were pass rushing situations. While it’s not uncommon in today’s pass-heavy league for most DEs to have more pass rushing snaps than run stopping snaps, Fowler’s division of labor is still particularly striking.
Playing just 65 run stopping snaps all season prevented an enormous amount of wear and tear on the 29-year-old veteran. The difference between taking on blocks in the running game and attacking blockers in pass protection is rather significant from a physicality perspective, and likely benefited Fowler during his tenure in Dallas. Conversely, a higher number of running downs played by say, Sam Williams, resulted in more wear and tear and less pressure opportunities.
Fowler leaving Dallas isn’t necessarily about just Williams, it’s about whoever eventually populates the ranks at DE. Fowler was getting the best snaps the defense had to offer and but still only created 12 total pressures in his 206 pass rushing snaps last season (5.83% success rate).
Williams, or whoever fills out the depth chart at DE in 2024, may not be any better than Fowler. But the threshold doesn’t look overly difficult to break and Fowler’s departure excitingly offers new blood the opportunity they otherwise wouldn’t be getting.
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