Getty Ndamukong Suh (left) and Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy
The one issue that the Dallas Cowboys ran into in what was an otherwise near-perfect evening in their Week 14 drubbing of the Eagles, a game that handed the Cowboys control of the NFC East, was the injury to nose tackle Johnathan Hankins, who suffered a high ankle sprain.
With the Cowboys facing a tough four-game finish to the schedule, replacing Hankins is critical. One stopgap star free agent whose name immediately came up: five-time Pro Bowler Ndamukong Suh.
Adding Suh to Mike McCarthy’s Cowboys mix makes some sense. He is a free agent who has some experience as a late-season addition, having joined the Eagles in November of last year on their way to a Super Bowl run.
Alas, if you’re thinking a Suh signing makes some sense for the Cowboys during their challenging stretch run, think again, according to longtime Cowboys insider Mike Fisher. “The Dallas Cowboys have a hole. But they have a plan—and no, we’re told it does not include the off-the-couch signing of Ndamukong Suh,” Fisher wrote at SI.com
Cowboys Have Non-Ndamukong Suh Plans
Now, there are multiple reasons a Ndamukong Suh signing is not of much urgency for the Cowboys. For one thing, at age 36, Suh is a shadow of the player he once was.
During his time with the Eagles last year, he rated a grade of 63.6 from Pro Football Focus, which is solid but well off the four straight years of 80-plus grades Suh registered from 2015-18.
He does have postseason experience, of course. Suh has been a sort of last-minute contender’s addition for the last few years now. He hopped aboard with the Rams in 2018 and helped that team to the Super Bowl, where they lost to the Patriots. He did the same with Tampa Bay and eventually helped them to win the Super Bowl in 2020.
Ultimately, though, the Cowboys are hopeful that Hankins’ injury won’t warrant any drastic moves.
As Dallas Morning News writer Michael Gehlken noted after the injury, “Cowboys NT Johnathan Hankins suffered a high-ankle sprain Sunday evening vs. Eagles, but there is belief it’s on the mild side, a person familiar with situation said. Hankins returned to the sideline in uniform after having been carted off. Good news for run defense.”
Cowboys NT Johnathan Hankins suffered a high-ankle sprain Sunday evening vs. Eagles, but there is belief it’s on the mild side, a person familiar with situation said. Hankins returned to the sideline in uniform after having been carted off. Good news for run defense.
Mazi Smith in the Spotlight Down the Stretch
And Fisher says that the Cowboys will stick with the next-man-up approach to replace Hankins, which does not involve the signing of Ndamukong Suh or anyone else, for that matter.
It means giving more reps to rookie Mazi Smith, who has had limited usage—between 11-25 snaps per game all season—to this point. Smith, the Cowboys’ first-round pick in 2023, has played 26% of the team’s snaps this year and has a PFF grade of 49.6.
Veteran Carl Davis, who was signed to the practice squad, could also earn a promotion in the absence of Hankins.
“As is the case with Hankins, who will hopefully be back in the regular season, Mazi—and Davis, with the safe assumption he gets elevated—will largely work as nose tackles, with the assignment to be to occupy blockers,” Fisher wrote.
Hopefully, they are up to the task. The Cowboys’ next three opponents are Buffalo, Miami and Detroit, teams with a combined 25-14, and all three are in the Top 10 in rushing yardage this season, putting special pressure on the middle of the Cowboys defensive line.