Cowboys defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku and tight end Luke Schoonmaker at training camp at the River Ridge Fields in Oxnard. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Cowboys' biggest strength entering NFL preseason will give QBs nightmares

Originally posted on Dallas Cowboys on SI
By Josh Sanchez | Last updated Jul 28, 2025 11:21 AM ET

With one week of Dallas Cowboys training camp in the books, a clear strength has emerged on the roster. Despite Micah Parsons watching from the sidelines in Oxnard as he awaits a new deal, the Cowboys' defensive end group has been performing at an elite level.

Rookie pass rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku has been one of the team's biggest stars on either side of the ball to start camp, while Dante Fowler, Marshawn Kneeland, and Sam Williams are among those bringing dangerous depth to the rotation.

Once Parons joins the group, which can pin their ears back and attack in Matt Eberflus' system, it's going to be a nightmare situation for opposing quarterbacks.

Because of that, it is no surprise that Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine named the Cowboys' pass rushers as the team's "biggest strength."

"It's easy to see the push and pull the Cowboys have had to navigate in putting their defensive line together," he wrote. "They might have struggled to stop the run last season, but Micah Parsons led one of the most productive pass rushes in the league last season. He had 12 sacks, but the whole unit had 52 and led the league with a 30.1 percent pressure rate.

"Osa Odighizuwa is an underrated element of their pass rush. The newly extended defensive tackle was 12th among interior defenders in pass-rush win rate. The Cowboys had eight players with at least three sacks last season, so it's a deep collection of rushers."

While there are concerns about the depth of the team's secondary which has been plagued by injuries, a secondary's best friend is an effective pass rush, and the Cowboys aren't lacking there.

New defensive coordinator Eberflus' impact on the defense has been evident throughout the first week of camp, and it's going to be exciting to see how the unit continues to come together throughout the rest of camp and the preseason.

This article first appeared on Dallas Cowboys on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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