The Dallas Cowboys are not looking at veteran options to help aid their suspension-depleted pass-rush.
According to Jean-Jacques Taylor of ESPN, the Cowboys—who saw the four game suspension for defensive end Randy Gregory grow to 10 games this week—still have “no interest” in veteran pass-rushers Dwight Freeney or Greg Hardy.
“The Cowboys want to see what they have in players such as fourth-round pick Charles Tapper and free-agent acquisition Benson Mayowa, who has two sacks in 30 games, before they go the veteran route,” Taylor wrote.
The Cowboys have ruled out a return for Hardy, who registered six sacks and an interception over 12 games with Dallas last season. He remains a free agent, despite some recent interest from the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Freeney, 36, probably won’t sign an NFL deal until the start of the regular season. He didn’t come back until October last year, when he signed with the Arizona Cardinals and managed eight sacks over the final 11 games in a part-time role.
Dallas could use the veteran help.
The Cowboys will be without suspended defensive ends Gregory and DeMarcus Lawrence to start next season. Gregory will miss at least 10 games, while Lawrence is suspended four games for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.
Without the pair, Dallas will likely start training camp with Mayowa and David Irving as the defense’s starting defensive ends.
It’s possible the Cowboys could reach out to Freeney after Week 1, when veteran contracts are no longer guaranteed for a full season. A call to Freeney could come much earlier if training camp reveals the Cowboys’ need at defensive end to be much greater than the franchise currently believes.