Heartfelt Farewell Message From Jonathan Hawkins To The Fans That Sends Shock Waves…
The mass exodus of the Dallas Cowboys continued when defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins elected to sign with the Seattle Seahawks instead of his former team earlier in the week.
Hankins was acquired in a midseason trade in 2022 and spent the last two playoff runs with the Cowboys trying to fill the hole in the middle and stop the run.
It didn’t work out. Dallas’ rush defense struggled mightily at times, even with the veteran DT, who wasn’t the same player he was early in his career.
Even with his declining production, Hankins will be missed, his absence leaves the Cowboys thin in the middle of the defensive line with little help on the roster.
According to reports the Cowboys wanted Hankins to return, but the Seahawks offered more money to entice him to join his old defensive line coach, Aden Durde, now the defensive coordinator in Seattle.
Now it’s on new DC Mike Zimmer to find some big bodies in the middle to fix the porous run defense. The task just got harder.
The interior of the defensive line is in the running for the weakest position on the team, the Cowboys just don’t have many quality DTs. Here’s who they do have to fill the void Hankins left.
Fourth-year DT Osa Odighizuwa is the best DT in Dallas, which was the case even with Hankins in tow. Odighizuwa has he best combination of pass rushing skills and run-stopping ability, even though no one would suggest he’s among the league’s best in either area.
However, the former third-round pick gets better every season and is heading into a contract year at 26-years old. Odighizuwa is ready to have his best season when the Cowboys need it most.
Last year’s first-round pick DT Mazi Smith is in line to take Hankins’ place. The Cowboys drafted Smith with the plan for him to take over for his predecessor, but he wasn’t ready as a rookie. In 2024, Smith will need to be ready for a larger role as he’s slated to be the starter next to Odighizuwa.
It was anything but a stellar year out of the gate for Smith, who lost weight and never looked like a long-term answer for the defense on the inside. The rookie had little impact, but the hope is that things change with Zimmer in charge.
If the veteran coach can get the most out of Smith, it will go a long way in solving the DT problem.
Chauncey Golston will also get a chance to showcase his talents in the middle. Drafted as defensive end in 2021, Golston has gone back-and-forth as an end and DT in his four years with the team, and it looks like he could have a chance at significant playing time next to his draftmate in Odighizuwa.
He’s been a rotational player who hasn’t done much since entering the league as a third-round pick, but if Golston’s going to be playing exclusively on the inside, this might be his best shot at earning a larger role.
The last option is veteran DT Carl Davis. Dallas brought in Davis at the end of last season and re-signed him just before the start of free agency.