The Dallas Cowboys reportedly will work out a number of pass-rushers on Thursday, including veteran defensive end Carl Lawson, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer.
That comes in the wake of edge-rusher Sam Williams suffering a torn ACL during Sunday’s practice, ending his season.
It’s an absence that will be felt.
“We had big plans for him,” defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer said Monday. “He was going to play an awful lot, probably I’m guessing, 70-75 percent of the time. … We’ll just have to move some chess pieces around and try to figure out other ways to do things.
“With us moving (Micah) Parsons around a little bit, (Williams) was going to be out there with Parsons and (DeMarcus Lawrence),” he added. “Marshawn Kneeland has done a really nice job. He would’ve played anyway… but I think he’s gonna end up having to play a lot now.”
Kneeland, a second-round rookie, said on Wednesday that he was ready for the challenge.
“I got to step up,” he told reporters. “I got to be ready to play that much more. … With (Williams) here, obviously I was still playing a good amount, but now it’s that much more reps I have to take. I just got to step it up a notch. I can pass rush too. I’m not just doing that in the MAC. I can do that here too.”
As for Lawson, the 29-year-old appeared in just six games for the New York Jets last season due to a lingering back issue, failing to register a sack. He hit free agency this offseason but has yet to pick up with a team.
When healthy he was a solid if unspectacular pass-rusher, with 27 sacks in 74 career games across six seasons. He wouldn’t be a huge impact signing, though it’s rare that any signings this time of year make a huge splash.
The Cowboys still have DeMarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons, so they’ll generate pressure. But depth behind them is now a major concern.