Can Dorance Armstrong Be Cowboys' Next Randy Gregory?
After officially entering free agency, Randy Gregory was still a Cowboy for about 90 minutes last Tuesday. The future of the edge position in Dallas was going to be in good hands for a number of years.
But then the mysterious tweet from the Denver Broncos with the word "Surprise!" came, and not long after the news that Gregory was signing with Denver instead of Dallas.
The situation has been examined and cross-examined while fans hurriedly look to place blame for the botched deal, but the bottom line is Gregory is gone and he's not coming back.
Less than 24 hours after the Gregory saga, the Cowboys signed another one of their own in defensive ends in Dorance Armstrong.
Would they have retained Armstrong had Gregory stayed a Cowboy? Probably, since they still need depth at the position. But his re-signing certainly has deeper significance with Gregory in Denver.
Dallas added another possible piece to the edge puzzle by signing former No. 3 overall pick Dante Fowler Jr. on Friday. It's unclear where Fowler Jr. fits into Dan Quinn's defensive puzzle, and there's no guarantee he'll start in 2022. The Cowboys also appear to be in pursuit of Za'Darius Smith, who is coming off a terrible season but has a history with Cowboys' coach Mike McCarthy.
Armstrong, whose new deal keeps him in Dallas for two years at $13 million, was a fourth-round selection of the Cowboys in 2018. He's been solid, played well, and improved each season as a pro. In 2021 he finished with five sacks.
Due to a Gregory injury, Armstrong saw an increased role last season. He started five games; Gregory only six. Armstrong had fewer quarterback hurries and sacks on 80 more snaps than Gregory, but overall his numbers match up well. One of the biggest stats when comparing the two could be age, with Armstrong five years younger.
Armstrong had 23 quarterback hurries to Gregory's 25, and five sacks to Gregory's six. But Armstrong figured things out late in the season, recording a sack in each of Dallas' last four games.
This could've been just a hot streak for Armstrong, or it could be more. It could be a glimpse into the future. A future where Armstrong is starting every game opposite Demarcus Lawrence as the two grow into a feared sack duo, just as we all expected the Gregory-Lawrence combination to be.
