FRISCO, Texas - The Dallas Cowboys drafted defensive end Marshawn Kneeland, in part, because he reminded them of DeMarcus Lawrence. They believed Kneeland possessed that potential. Judging by film, the Cowboys also believed Kneeland had the willingness to get there.
“When that attracts you, it’s something that you put in your Rolodex and go, ‘If I see that, I know what it looks like and what it can do,’” Cowboys vice president of player personnel Will McClay said after last year’s draft. “Just watching him play, he’s bouncing off of people, and he’s chasing screens down. All of those things are some of the things that D-Law did when he was at Boise State.”
Lawrence did those things with the Cowboys. He did them this past Sunday in his first game with his new team, the Seattle Seahawks, finishing with two tackles for loss.
Good news for the Cowboys: Kneeland did some of those D-Law things in Week 1, too.
The Cowboys’ run defense, much maligned over the better part of the last decade, had a positive showing in a 24-20 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Star running back Saquon Barkley averaged 5.2 yards per carry and totaled 233 rushing yards in two games against the Cowboys last season on his way to more than 2,000 overall. On Thursday, the Cowboys contained Barkley, allowing 60 yards on 18 carries.
Run defense, coaches will tell you, is about the collective more than the individual. Still, the individual play of Kneeland and the high motor he showed in the season opener were noticeable - just as they were when the Cowboys scouted him in the predraft process last year.
“The guy that the world saw run around on that football field, play physical and get the sack, chase things down ... he is the same guy each and every day. That consistency I talk a lot about up here. That consistency is what jumps off the film, even with someone like myself that’s around them every day,” Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said of Kneeland, who finished with four tackles and the only sack of the game for either team.
“Now, the league knows. The league knows how talented this young man is because of his work ethic, his love for the game of football and he plays the game the right way.”
Kneeland is also learning how to play the right way. Schottenheimer called him a sponge. When the Cowboys drafted Kneeland in the second round out of Western Michigan, there was hope he could absorb what helped Lawrence go from a high-effort player to a four-time Pro Bowler with the Cowboys. It worked.
Lawrence’s later years with Dallas were defined by taking chances. Lawrence - affectionately called a “bowling ball with butcher knives” by former Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy - often cut through blocking schemes in ways most wouldn’t. From the outside, they looked risky in the run game. Kneeland learned from watching Lawrence that they weren’t risks at all.
“You knew he understood the game in and out,” Kneeland said of Lawrence. “There are a lot of reads I got to see him make, like snap, quick.”
Those decisions from Lawrence required confidence. Kneeland noted that confidence was built through watching film. He also realized Thursday that confidence means nothing without trust.
Kneeland admitted he was a little hesitant early against the Eagles. He was reading and thinking, he said, instead of attacking and trusting his preparation. After the first quarter, he had a realization.
Forget that, he thought.
“I’m just going to go,” he said.
And go he did. Kneeland, in homage to Lawrence, trusted the preparation he and Cowboys defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton had put in during the week and went on the attack. He was noticeably more active on run defense. His sack came from persistence.
“If you see something, they could only do one of three things,” Kneeland said. “You see, after the snap, he did this, so I know what’s coming. It kind of slows it down.”
Kneeland knows there’s still a long way to go in his development. He pointed out that in some people’s eyes, he’s still a rookie because he hasn’t reached the 17-game mark in the NFL. He missed six games last season due to injury.
Still, Thursday’s performance was a step toward Kneeland realizing his potential. And how high is that potential? Just ask the guy he’s replacing.
“It’s a high ceiling for him. ... I definitely think he’s going to evolve into something even better than me,” Lawrence said last year during the start of training camp.
Schottenheimer echoed that excitement.
“You can’t go into that game and not have confidence knowing he’s a terrific young football player,” Schottenheimer said. “That is only going to continue to ascend.”
The Miami Dolphins are heading into what could be a period of serious change. Head coach Mike McDaniel is on the hot seat, and this year’s squad just doesn’t seem to have the juice to save his job. Starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa may also be nearing the end of his tenure in Miami.
“His contract guarantees his pay through 2026. If the Dolphins fall flat and change coaches, the next coach likely will want a fresh start at quarterback. While the cap charges will complicate a split before 2027, every high-end quarterback contract eventually leads to a big cap charge when the relationship ends. The next coach (and the next G.M., if owner Stephen Ross cleans house) may want to rip the Band-Aid off in one motion,” Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio wrote.
There doesn’t seem to be as much confidence in Tagovailoa from the organization as there once was.
“What is interesting is that Miami may not have the same confidence they had in him two years ago. They could have created $19 million in cap room with a simple restructure, but opted not to do so, citing they didn't need the extra money,” Phin Phanatic’s Brian Miller noted.
If the Dolphins decide to move on, Miami rap legend Luther “Luke” Campbell has proposed a bold move: acquiring Shedeur Sanders in a trade.
“Dear Miami Dolphins front office: trade for Shedeur Sanders. We’ve got world-class speed on the perimeter and a creative offense—pair that with a young QB who’s built for big moments and let him develop in Miami. Cleveland’s QB room is crowded; there’s a window to make a smart move for our future. Do right by the city—go get him,” Campbell posted.
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Sanders hasn’t been given many opportunities in the Browns system and has reportedly been throwing to equipment staff at times. He could develop behind Tagovailoa, and if Miami decides to move on, he could be ready to step in. The Dolphins have the weapons to support him, though the offensive line remains a major concern. Still, Sanders might thrive in Miami’s high-octane environment.
