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There’s been a lot of head-scratching around one critic's latest Dallas Cowboys commentary, but not for the reasons he thinks.
In a recent take, this author labeled Dante Fowler Jr. as the "most head-scratching signing" by Dallas this offseason, citing Fowler’s "mediocre" run during his 2022–2023 Cowboys stint and his current age (31).
Let’s slow down and clear a few things up.
First off, Fowler’s max contract value is $8 million — including incentives. If he gets 11 sacks, he will earn a $2 million bonus. But he only carries a $6 million cap hit, so either way, he's incredibly affordable ... and yet likely to still be productive.
Second — and this is where the wheels really come off the critique — the author references Fowler’s time in Dallas as proof the Cowboys are "counting on too much."
The sack numbers alone from 2022 and 2023 don’t blow you away:
But here’s the part the critic left out: snap share tells a completely different story.
Fowler isn’t — and never has been — an every-down player. He’s a pass-rush specialist, a former first-rounder whose superpower is getting after the quarterback when used correctly.
New (and old) #Cowboys EDGE Dante Fowler functions best in a DPR role where he can really ramp up the juice/urgency on each snap.
— John Owning (@JohnOwning) March 14, 2025
After playing just 650 snaps combined in his two years in DAL, when he was a very efficient pass-rusher, his snap total climbed to 642 in his one… pic.twitter.com/nue1l8ctkx
In 2022, Fowler logged just 364 total snaps — and still produced 6 sacks. In 2023? Even fewer — only 288 snaps — and still 4 sacks.
Fast forward to 2024 with Washington — where Fowler finally saw a full workload (606 snaps, almost double his Cowboys usage) — and the production skyrocketed:
• 10.5 sacks
• 14 tackles for loss
NFL teams play about 1,000 snaps per side per season. When Fowler was finally used in a heavier rotation, his production followed suit.
The Cowboys know exactly who Dante Fowler is. They aren’t asking him to be Micah Parsons. They’re asking him to hunt quarterbacks — and if 2024 is any indication, he can still do it at a high level.
Calling this signing "head-scratching" completely misses the mark. Context matters. Snap counts matter. And Fowler’s ability to get home still matters — maybe now more than ever.
More must-reads:
- Gap between star WR Terry McLaurin, Commanders revealed
- Agent reveals if James Cook still wants to play for Bills amid contract saga
- The 'NFL mascot names' quiz
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