FRISCO, Texas -- The Cowboys have added nearly 30 new players to the roster over the last two months, from a collection of free-agent signings, draft picks, undrafted free agents and even a few trades.
All in all, a third of the 90-man roster has been overhauled since mid-March, creating quite a few changes to each position.
Over the next few weeks, we'll take a closer look at where things stand at each position. The Cowboys won't release a depth chart until the first preseason game in August, so the following order of players is simply a projection, which of course, is always subject to change.
Let's continue our series with the defensive tackle position:
- Osa Odighizuwa
- Mazi Smith
- Solomon Thomas
- Jay Toia
- Tommy Akingbesote
- Justin Rogers
- Denzel Daxon
Battle to Watch: Jay Toia and Tommy Akingbesote will likely push each other for a spot in the rotation, which is a lot to ask from two rookies but likely necessary given the overall lack of bodies in the room. It may end up not being a "battle" between the two, as both are in a position to be leaned upon pretty heavily if the Cowboys stick with seven defensive tackles on the roster going into the season.
Time is Now: Mazi Smith was likely the answer to this prompt a year ago, and he is again going into 2025. He took a step in the right direction after his rookie season but needs a leap this year to prove himself as the strong punisher that the Cowboys saw on film coming out of Michigan. New Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus and defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton are excited to work with Smith, and a big early test for them will be seeing how much he can improve under their eyes.
Trait-Mark: In terms of versatility and being able to play anywhere on the defensive front, Solomon Thomas brings that to the table for the Cowboys. He's listed as a defensive tackle, but can be used coming off the edge and rushing the passer too. He's a little more twitchy than some of the other guys in the room, and can use that to his advantage in pass rushing situations when lined up against less athletic interior offensive linemen.
Don't Forget About … The Cowboys paid Osa Odighizuwa long-term money because they feel he's going to be a long-term staple of their defensive line. Matt Eberflus' defensive schemes are usually pretty friendly towards three-technique defensive tackles, with him even calling the position the "engine" of his defense in the past, so the best still may be yet to come from Odighizuwa.
