A proposed trade would see the Dallas Cowboys unload a key veteran following his career year.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine urged the Cowboys to trade defensive end Dorance Armstrong to the New Orlean Saints for a fourth-round pick, arguing that Armstrong has become a “luxury” for Dallas, given their depth at the position.
“Dorance Armstrong is coming off a career year and has been a valuable player for the defense, but he’s become a luxury,” Ballentine wrote in a July 29 story about one trade each team should consider before the season. “The Cowboys already have a lot of depth on the edge. Micah Parsons continues to become more of a full-time edge player, giving them a crew that includes Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, Dante Fowler Jr., Sam Williams and Viliami Fehoko Jr.”
Why the Cowboys Should Trade Dorance Armstrong
The 26-year-old Armstrong is coming off of a career year, posting 8.5 sacks and 16 quarterback hits despite starting just five games and playing on 47% of the team’s defensive snaps. However, Dallas has a plethora of quality defensive ends, including arguably the league’s best one, Micah Parsons, with three-time Pro Bowler DeMarcus Lawrence and veteran Dante Fowler.
Meanwhile, Sam Williams is entering just his second year while Viliami Fehoko is entering his rookie season.
With Armstrong entering the final season of a two-year, $12 million deal he signed prior to the start of the 2022 season, he could be the most viable trade candidate among Dallas’ defensive ends — especially considering the banner season he’s coming off of.
Williams appeared in just 27% of the defensive snaps during his rookie season, but he showed potential as he notched four sacks and actually garnered a Defensive Rookie of the Year vote. If Williams — a former second-round pick — and fourth-round pick Fehoko are to see valuable playing time this season, the Cowboys might have to unload Armstrong, Ballentine wrote.
“Williams was a second-round pick last season and Fehoko was a fourth-rounder this year,” Ballentine wrote. “If the Cowboys want to develop those two, they have to see on-field action. Trading away Armstrong would not only vacate those snaps but would also free up $5.8 million in cap space. That’s a big deal for a team that has contract extensions for CeeDee Lamb, Trevon Diggs and Dak Prescott on the horizon.”
Why Dorance Armstrong Is Unlikely to Replicate 2022 Season
Prior to the 2022 season, Armstrong had never come close to racking up 8.5 sacks in a single season. In fact, his career-high prior to that year was five sacks, in 2021. Before that, Armstrong posted just three combined sacks during his first three years in the NFL.
The Cowboys can take advantage of Armstrong’s outlier year — along with the Saints’ need for a young pass-rushing specialist — by acquiring a mid-round draft pick, Ballentine wrote.
“The Saints might be a team to call. Cameron Jordan is 34 years old and they don’t have proven depth behind Carl Granderson,” he wrote.
USA Today’s Cowboys Wire also questioned whether Armstrong was due for regression in 2023.
“[T]he pressure numbers aren’t drastically different year-over-year, adding validity to the idea [that] pressure is a stable stat while sacks can ebb and flow,” Cowboys Wire’s Reid Hanson wrote in a June story. “In other words, Armstrong’s 2021 sack total jumped up 70% in 2022, even though his pressure rate remained consistent. That alone is reason to believe his sack total is likely to regress back to his 2021 numbers (5) and his 8.5 career high isn’t likely to be repeated.”
The Cowboys obviously have a need for pass rushers considering they play in the same division as the Philadelphia Eagles‘ Jalen Hurts. But the robust depth chart at defensive end means Dallas can likely live without the services of Armstrong.
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Proposed Cowboys Trade Sends $12 Million ‘Luxury’ Veteran To Saints