Dallas Cowboys at Cardinals: 'Unique' Differences in Scouting Personnel

Sunday’s matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals is largely expected to get out of hand. Sure, Cardinals quarterback Josh Dobbs has looked better than anticipated, but on paper, this is one of the largest talent gaps of any game this season.

There are plenty of reasons why Arizona is honed in on a top-5 selection, led by the health of quarterback Kyler Murray, who’s recovering from a torn ACL. However, the Cardinals’ dysfunction is partly subsequent to a mismanagement of talent and thus, draft capital.

The Cowboys thrive defensively. They’ve allowed just 10 points through two games and lead the league in what feels like every statistic. It is an imposing, well-coached defense combining talent at every level. Of course, that includes edge rusher Micah Parsons, who may be the second-best player in the sport.

I bring up Parsons not to highlight the elite talent on this defense, but to bring up another area where these two teams differ: versatility.

Parsons came out of Penn State in 2021 as a linebacker prospect with a unique ability to rush the passer. After 540 snaps at inside linebacker as a rookie, compared to 390 on the defensive line, the Cowboys made a key realization. His pass-rushing prowess provided more value than high-level linebacker play.

Covering tight ends and pursuing outside runs is useful—but 70 pressures in a part-time role was unheard of. That was the 11th-most pressures in football, as a rookie, with the 115th-most opportunities. Since then, Parsons has logged 929 snaps on the defensive line and 206 at linebacker.

“He’s so unique in the way he plays,” defensive coordinator Dan Quinn said. “He’s off the ball, he’s inside, he’s outside. I would say his uniqueness allows us to do things.”

Instead of deploying Parsons off the ball with regularity, Dallas is using his versatility in a more effective manner. When he’s not embarrassing opposing left tackles, the Cowboys are not shy about letting him hunt more favorable matchups through alignment and stunts. This helps them dictate how offenses protect against Parsons, putting teammates in positions to succeed.

Elsewhere on the defense, that versatility remains helpful. Cornerback DaRon Bland is able to move from the slot to the boundary after Trevon Diggs’ injury. The athleticism of Dallas’ safeties has allowed them to go light at linebacker while retaining a strong run defense.

And then there’s the Cardinals.

General manager Monti Ossenfort isn’t to blame. He’s in his first year on the job, attempting to clean the mess former general manager Steve Keim made. Keim made a habit of drafting “hybrid” types who saw inflated draft stock due to their versatility. In a five-year span, Arizona drafted linebackers Haason Reddick, Isaiah Simmons, and Zaven Collins with top-16 picks.

Reddick totaled just 7.5 sacks in his first three years thanks to stubborn attempts to keep him off the line of scrimmage. He was finally used as a pass rusher predominantly in 2020. Reddick has since found greener pastures, including a 16-sack season with the Philadelphia Eagles last season.

Simmons was expected to do everything for the Cardinals, taking snaps at linebacker, both safety spots, corner, and defensive line. Simply put, it didn’t work out. Ossenfort traded him to the New York Giants before Week 1, where he’s been used mostly as a blitzing inside linebacker.

Keim repeated his Reddick miscue with Collins, who spent the majority of his first two seasons at linebacker. New head coach Jonathan Gannon has let him rush the passer more this season—hopefully that helps him find his footing.

Three first-round picks on good athletes with useful skill sets. Three wasted opportunities by the front office and coaching staff. It’s hard to build a competitive roster that way.

Yes, Parsons is more talented than the Cardinals’ trio of “busts,” but it’s hard to imagine an organization putting them in worse positions to succeed. Investing heavy draft capital on prospects whose hype is carried by the promise of versatility is a testament to the faith of one’s coaching staff. Arizona didn’t deliver.

The Cowboys preached versatility and used it to bolster depth and maximize the value of their assets, particularly while rushing the passer. Arizona’s hybrids found themselves in less valuable positions and less favorable situations.

Dallas is expected to win Sunday’s contest, likely without much contention. After years of uninspiring drafts, the Cardinals are a significantly inferior roster. At least on defense, they can point a finger at a faulty foundation based on versatility that was perhaps too tempting for their own good.

Expect to see the consequences of Arizona’s faulty management in Week 3.