FRISCO, Texas – Familiar with this committee thing the Cowboys have been forming during the 31 days in Oxnard, Calif., where we departed from on Thursday for an unwelcomed 30-degree bump in temperature out here.
Talking the newly acclaimed running-back-by-committee approach, and so far with Saturday's final preseason game to be played at 3 p.m. against the Los Angeles Chargers – thank Jerry Jones it's in the indoor confines of AT&T Stadium – that seems to be working just fine.
There's a Zeke.
There's a Rico.
There's a Hunter.
And there just might be at least one but possibly two more seats at that table between Deuce Vaughn, Royce Freeman and Malik Davis.
OK, great.
But suddenly there is a new committee in town being formed before our very eyes. One out of necessity because of experience lacking at this particular table.
Yep, welcome Defensive Tackle by Committee, as it seems now just four days from the Cowboys' 90-man roster being reduced to the NFL maximum of 53 on Aug. 27, plus 16 practice squad members in the ensuing days.
Not sure this committee is forming because of decreasing confidence in Mazi Smith, last year's first-round draft choice, or the little depth behind prospective defensive tackle starters Mazi and Osa Odighizuwa. The Cowboys are good with Osa for sure, and while Mazi has been criticized for lack of will, lack of caring, lack of talent, let me tell you this, unless he's fooling me over those past 31 days:
He seems to care. He seems to be trying. There is something there the Cowboys are trying to unearth, buried in unfortunate perceptions, exorbitant expectations, all based on a rookie season that went sideways, guessing through his own fault and to me some misguided influence.
But think about all this existing before the formation of this committee in Oxnard over the past couple of weeks, sprouting faster than those coveted strawberry and avocado plants out yonder. Here is what the Cowboys went to training camp with at defensive tackle:
Mazi and Osa. Ninth-year veteran Carl Davis. Seventh-round draft choice Justin Rogers. Rookie free agent international designated player Denzel Daxon. And two former defensive ends being looked at inside, fourth-year Chauncey Golston and second-year Viliami Fehoko, who didn't play a snap last year.
That's it.
And almost immediately, early in training camp the Cowboys decided Golston and Fehoko needed to move back to where they once came from at defensive end. They needed not only experience in the middle, but increased size and bulk.
Especially after deciding Davis, at 6-5, 335 wasn't going to cut it, and they saw enough of him last year after a late-season signing to the practice squad, three weeks on the 53-man roster, yet playing just 30 snaps, and then in the offseason to know he wasn't going to cut it.
The committee-room door swung open.
First came Albert Huggins, a fourth-year guy adding 305 pounds.
Then Jordan Phillips, adding nine seasons of experience and immense girth at 6-6, 341 pounds.
And now, presumably, Linval Joseph, at least by Aug. 27 if the reportedly agreed upon contract becomes binding. At 36-years-old come October, he's lugging along 13 previous years of experience, a 6-4, 329-pound frame, but having played just seven games season last year with Buffalo, Games 9-15, and then just eight games the previous season with Philadelphia, Games 10-17.
Seems if we were cutting the roster today, making the final 53 would be Osa and Mazi, then newcomers Phillips and Joseph with an outside chance for Huggins, though more likely to the practice squad along with Rogers and Daxon if they hopefully clear waivers.
So, what's the thinking?
The Cowboys had no experienced depth behind Osa and Mazi. None whatsoever. And again, while Mazi has been encouraging during this training camp and showing signs in the first preseason game of improving – he missed the second one after suffering an allergic reaction to an ingredient in a protein shake the day before – new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer knew more depth was needed at defensive tackle to survive an 18-week NFL season.
More than that, while much is being made of Zimmer wanting more size with true linebackers on his 4-3 defense, he knew for sure this team had to get bigger up front. While Osa, playing the 3-technique, is 6-2, 294, and Mazi is 6-3 and re-approaching his listed 328 to start last year, this wasn't enough.
But now with Phillips, apparently Joseph, and possibly Huggins, the Cowboys can attack this defensive tackle position in waves. Certainly, at their ages the Cowboys can't expect Phillips and at this point probably Joseph to become full-time starters at the tackle position. Last two years in Buffalo, Phillips started just 10 of 26 games played, with snap counts of 43 percent in 2022 and 44 percent in 2023.
As for Joseph, he has only started eight of 15 games these past two seasons, starting all eight in 2022 with the Eagles, playing 189 snaps, and 161 with Buffalo in 2023.
And even Huggins, if he makes the team, has started only six of 22 games played over the past two seasons with New Orleans and then Atlanta, playing in just 36 and 37 percent of the snaps, respectively.
Comparatively, Odighizuwa has started 34 of 34 possible games played in the past two seasons, meaning everyone of them, accounting for 54 and 60 percent of the snaps, respectively.
Now, the Cowboys likely will not designate this rotation "by committee," but here is what they must be thinking: We're going to play these defensive tackle positions in waves, placing more importance on down and distance, score in games, opponent tendencies and matchups than who actually is considered the starter.
Because let's face it, and as I continue to emphasize, opponents in 11 of 18 games last year rushed for at least 106 yards. Two of them went for more than 200 (Arizona 222) and Miami (266), both losses, and at least 109 yards were allowed in all six losses with the Niners going for 170, Green Bay 143 and three touchdowns in the playoffs and Miami 125.
Bigger is better. Experienced depth is a must. Keeping veterans fresh is imperative. So keep an eye on the waves of defensive tackles flowing inside, hoping to drown out their problems last year of stopping the run.
Welcome home the Cowboys' newest "committee."
