INEVITABLE: Why the Dallas Cowboys Must FIRE Matt Eberflus to Transform Their Defense in 2026

Summary

Podcast Summary: Locked On Cowboys

Episode Title: INEVITABLE: Why the Dallas Cowboys Must FIRE Matt Eberflus to Transform Their Defense in 2026
Hosts: Marcus Mosher & Landon McCool
Date: December 23, 2025

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Episode Overview

This episode centers around the growing consensus that Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus is likely to be fired after another poor defensive performance. Marcus and Landon break down recent defensive issues, discuss Jerry Jones's public comments, debate the attractiveness of the Cowboys' DC job for top candidates in 2026, and explore personnel decisions on both the offensive line and the defensive interior. The hosts aim to forecast how the Cowboys can reshape their defense for a championship window, while also touching on the development of specific players.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Inevitability of Moving On from Matt Eberflus

• Defensive Collapse Against Chargers ([01:45])
  • Cowboys surrendered 34 points; didn’t force a field goal attempt or punt in the first half.
  • Jerry Jones’s tepid public support signals changes are coming.
• Defensive Scheme Misfit ([03:12])
  • Eberflus increased blitzes and man coverage, but execution was poor.
  • Lack of proper blitz/coverage installation due to limited practice and playbook design.
  • Marcus criticizes Eberflus for failing to adapt his scheme or maximize player strengths:

    “They don’t have the personnel to run what Eberflus wants… He’s not adjusting his scheme. It’s just a bad fit.” – Marcus Mosher ([05:04])

• Ownership Hesitation over Turnover ([05:04])
  • Cowboys might be wary about having a fourth defensive coordinator in four years, but hosts agree continuity isn’t a good enough reason to keep Eberflus.

2. Options & Attractiveness for the 2026 Defensive Coordinator

• Improved Pool of Candidates This Offseason ([06:01])
  • Potential candidates: Todd Bowles, Jim Schwartz, Jonathan Gannon.
  • Timing and proactive decision-making could help Dallas land a top-quality coordinator.
• Is the Job Attractive? ([07:20])
  • Current defensive roster seen as “barren”: needs at linebacker, corner, safety, defensive end.
  • Still, Landon believes the job is desirable due to:
    • High pay and visibility.
    • Dallas’s reputation for spending resources on defense.
    • Two first-round picks in the upcoming draft.
    • "There's clearly going to be a commitment by this front office to make this defense better because the offense is kind of where it needs to be…" – Landon McCool ([07:59])
• Seeking a Long-Term Solution ([07:59])
  • Dallas wants a stable, modern defensive mind, preferably with head coaching experience, who can grow with the team.

3. What Fits Best? Coordinator Profile & Scheme Needs

• Scheme Flexibility Over Personnel Fit ([10:09])
  • Roster is scheme-versatile, not locked into any one defensive system.
  • Need somebody versed in simulated pressures, modern defense, and not afraid to blitz.
  • Emphasis on maximizing current personnel’s strengths and generating pressure creatively.
• Roster-Driven Coordinator Search? ([11:19])
  • Marcus: If Cowboys hire a heavy blitzer (e.g., Brian Flores, Wink Martindale), they’ll need to prioritize coverage players.
  • If preferring more zone/Cover-2 looks, will need to bolster the defensive line.

4. Offensive Line: Tyler Smith’s Future

• Tyler Smith at Left Tackle ([14:29])
  • Stepped in for injured Tyler Guyton and played well, but some weaknesses persist.
  • Strengths: Exceptional strength and grip; once latched, defenders are neutralized.
  • Limitations: Footwork and hand placement issues, particularly in space, can lead to holding penalties.
    • “He’s a better than average NFL left tackle… I just think that ultimately, there’s a ceiling there because of the way he plays the game.” – Landon McCool ([16:09])
• Guard or Tackle: Value Debate ([17:06])
  • Marcus suggests with a full offseason to train at LT, Smith could improve further.
    • “If he’s the eighth or ninth left tackle in the league, is that better than being the fourth left guard? I don’t know.” – Marcus Mosher ([17:06])
  • Landon leans toward guard being his optimal spot.
• Durability, Continuity, and Prospects ([18:17])
  • Emphasizes importance of a strong interior for Dak Prescott.
  • Tyler Guyton needs to stay healthy for tackle continuity.
  • Preference for Tyler Smith as a “break glass in case of emergency” LT, rather than a long-term plan.

5. Defensive Tackles: Emergence & Crowded Room

• Kenny Clark’s High-Level Play ([24:46])
  • Clark has shined, benefiting from the addition of Quinnen Williams.
  • Osa Odighizuwa, Quinnen Williams, and Clark all in the top-12 DTs by advanced stats since Week 7.
  • Perryon Winfrey and Solomon Thomas also contributing.
    • “It's getting to the point you and I were talking about this...that defensive tackle room overall is getting a little bit crowded” – Landon McCool ([24:46])
• Leverage & Scheme Implications ([27:19])
  • Unique strength at DT; question if it justifies a trade (i.e., Clark to bolster DE).
  • Coordinator choice could influence whether Dallas leans further into this DT depth.
  • Possibility of using more “mint” or 3-man fronts; references to Denver's front structure.
  • Must avoid systems where DTs are just block-eaters (as in old-school 3-4s); instead, they should continue to attack upfield.
    • “I don’t want to change the way these guys are playing… I want these guys getting through gaps, one-gapping.” – Landon McCool ([29:57])

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Defensive Scheme Failure:
  “The fact that the Cowboys did more blitzing and still had the kind of success [by the opponent] is an indictment on this coach's inability…”
  – Landon McCool ([03:12])
• On Job Attractiveness:
  “You’re going to get paid well, you’re going to get a lot of exposure here… if you’re one of these coordinators… Maybe you’re looking more long term.”
  – Landon McCool ([07:59])
• On Tyler Smith’s Ceiling:
  “I think he's a better than average NFL left tackle, which is really, really saying something, considering he doesn’t really practice it or do much there.”
  – Landon McCool ([16:09])
• On Defensive Tackle Depth:
  “It’s hard to find these guys, especially the guys who can rush the passer and play the run. You have a couple of these guys now…”
  – Landon McCool ([24:46])
• On Scheme for Defensive Tackles:
  “I want these guys getting through gaps. I want these guys one-gapping.”
  – Landon McCool ([29:57])
• Funny Aside:
  (George Pickens “fan-punching” discussion and Terry Bradshaw’s reaction) ([09:19])

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:45 — Opening discussion: Defensive collapse, Jerry Jones’s hints, Eberflus's likely fate
• 03:12–06:01 — Defensive scheme criticisms and the case for moving on
• 06:01–07:59 — Defensive coordinator candidate discussion; attractiveness of the Dallas job
• 10:09–11:19 — Coordinator scheme fit vs. available personnel
• 14:29–16:09 — Tyler Smith breakdown: evaluation at left tackle
• 17:06–21:40 — Guard vs. tackle debate for Smith, left side O-line prospects
• 24:46–26:16 — Kenny Clark emergence, DT depth, advanced stats
• 27:19–29:57 — Defensive line structure, trade debate, scheme preferences for DTs

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Conclusion

The episode provides a candid and analytical look into the near-certain firing of Matt Eberflus, the coordinator market for 2026, and major team-building questions that will shape the Cowboys’ fate in the coming seasons. The hosts offer strong arguments for a modern defensive approach while carefully examining player development and strategic depth, especially along the offensive and defensive lines. The tone is insightful, occasionally humorous, and deeply rooted in practical football analysis.

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For a deeper dive into the next defensive coordinator search and ongoing Cowboys roster evaluations, stay tuned to Locked On Cowboys.

Transcript

[Marcus Mosher]

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[Landon McCool]

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[Marcus Mosher]

Mattys had another really rough outing on Sunday. Is it a foregone conclusion that he is out after the season? We'll debate next. You are Locked On Cowboys, your daily Dallas Cowboys podcast, part of the Locked On Podcast network. Your team every day. Welcome back to the Lockdown Cowboys podcast, part of the Lockdown Podcast network. Your team every day. We'd like to thank you for making us the number one sports podcast network. And today's episode is brought to you by fanduel. If you want to be right in the middle of the action this football season, visit FanDuel.com and place your NFL Live bets all season long. Welcome back. I am your host, Marcus Mosher. He is Lana McCool. And on today's episode, we're talking about the offensive line Changes including Tyler Smith, the left tackle. Our thoughts on that position long term. We're also going to talk about the defensive tackle room that quietly continues to improve for the Cowboys. But I want to start with Matt Eber Fluss. We heard some comments from Jerry Jones on Monday about Matt Eber Fluss. We saw another outing where they gave up 34 points, did not force the Chargers to even kick a field goal or punt in the first half on Sunday. Is it a foregone conclusion, Landon, that Iverflu is gone here in two weeks?

[Landon McCool]

Yeah, I mean it feels like it is at this point. Right. And, and only if you kind of base it on, on the sort of posture and body language in the sense of, of what they're saying from the decision makers like the head coach and Jerry Jones. It feels like, you know, I, I don't know, short of them being fired, that, that you would have your owner or general manager come out and say yeah, like you know, my this guy's gone before the end of the season or you know, that sort of thing. So like, you know, any kind of hinting or, or anything less than then full throated support for your defensive coordinator at this time of year after the kind of performances that you've seen feels like very heavy kind of hinting that this is potentially a situation that's going to be changed at the end of the year. And look, I mean he's earned that right at this point. Like it does feel like the Cowboys defense has continued to get worse and not improve. You know, I heard some folks kind of looking at the numbers from the game and seeing the uptick in, in man coverage and maybe some more blitzes and, and, and, and some folks, you know, trying to say, well look here, I mean this is what you guys have been asking for. You know, maybe this bruise something that Eber Fl is correct here that they shouldn't be running so much of this. And, and, and to that I just say I think that the fact that the Cowboys did more blitzing or had more man coverage and still had the kind of success really is a, is an indictment on this coach's inability to properly install a number of blitzes or properly coach how to, how to play those blitzes in order to get production and I think that's played out, is that they just, they don't blitz enough. They don't have very much of it in their playbook. They didn't install very much of it in training camp. So when they need to use it, they aren't very good at it. They don't have a ton of variety.

[Marcus Mosher]

Well, and the other thing is, if you've watched the Chargers at all over the last two months, they have the worst offensive line in the NFL. The way to beat them is by just rushing four and dropping guys into coverage because their offensive line is so bad. Right. So what do the Cowboys do? They, they uptake their blitzes this week and the Chargers are able to kind of max protect and hit guys wide open down the field. It, it's just, it's a mess. They don't have the personnel to run what Eber flu wants to run. He's not helping the guys that are currently on the defense. He's not adjusting his scheme. It's just a bad fit. My only fear is that Jerry Jones and Steven Jones are going to look at it and say, hey, we can't have our fourth defensive coordinator in four years. We need some continuity. But outside of that, I don't see any reason why Eber flu should be back in 2026 like there. He's giving us nothing this year to suggest that things are going to get better.

[Landon McCool]

Well, I, I do think that the thing that is going to be better for this situation is that it does feel like there's going to be better candidates coming out this year. I mean, despite what we kind of thought like, you know, there's a chance that Todd Bowels will be Bulls will be available. You know, several other coaching staffs that, that are getting fired have quality defensive coordinators that maybe let go as well that, that you're going to have available. Jim Schwartz is a name that's been thrown around there. I've seen a lot of, couple of different guys that are, you know, you know, Jonathan Gannon over in Arizona. I was a guy that I would certainly be interested in as well. So I, I do think that, that maybe that like entices Jerry a little bit more than where you were at the point you were making a defensive coordinator higher last year because you were, you know, going through the transition of doing both. Theoretically though, you know, the timing of that is a little bit wonky. Yeah, I, I will say though that like, I think if they kind of are making that decision early, at least in their minds, and even though they may be letting the defense coordinator play out, I think that still fits in the timeline of, of being able to kind of pounce on a top end defense coordinator when they become available. Certainly more so than, you know, maybe where they were at this point last year where they were still trying to figure out their head coaching situation.

[Marcus Mosher]

So let's say the Cowboys move on from Matt Eberfluz. This is a question I asked our guy Stretch today. What makes this an attractive destination for defensive coordinator candidates? Because you look at the roster on that side of the ball, you might need at least one starting linebacker, you might need two starting corners, you might need two starting safeties. And oh, by the way, your entire defensive end room outside of Donovan Aziraku probably needs replaced. So is this going to be a spot where, you know, let's say Jonathan Gannon gets fired or Brian Flores is let out of his contract? Like, is this going to be a spot that the, these guys want to flock to?

[Landon McCool]

Yeah, I mean, look, I, I think ultimately the Cowboys have still have a draw. Look, I understand that it's not the same, but I mean, you're going to get paid well, you're going to get a lot of exposure here. And, and, and I think that the, the Cowboys are going to spend resources on defense. Right. Like you're right that the cupboard looks kind of bare, that you do have a nice edge, young edge piece. You do have some, some piece of pieces on your defensive terrier. So it's not like your defensive line is so far away. And I think that there's clearly going, if you just look at it from the outside, I think there's clearly going to be a commitment by this front office to make this defense better because the offense is kind of where it needs to be and a lot of those pieces are, are sort of locked in George Pickens situation kind of, you know, notwithstanding, I, I do think that the Gil. The Cowboys have two first round picks. They're going to spend some money on the defensive, defensive side of the ball in order to get it to where they need to be. And I also think it's if, if you're one of these coordinators that are potentially the Cowboys are looking at likely a former head coach especially, maybe you're looking more long term. Right. And I think that that's what the Cowboys are looking for. They're looking for a situation after having gone through several defensive coordinators to like make a commitment to someone that they think is a high quality defensive coordinator so they don't have to kind of constantly cycle in and out of these guys.

[Marcus Mosher]

Is that George Pickens, the one that punched a fan on Sunday? Oh, wait, no.

[Landon McCool]

Oh, no, it wasn't.

[Marcus Mosher]

Yeah, we didn't hardly hear anything about that.

[Landon McCool]

Terry Bradshaw didn't ever get back. Get back to me on my phone calls. Because I was calling him just because I know he was so concerned about the situation.

[Marcus Mosher]

That's wild. Last thing on the defensive coordinator. And I promise you guys, if and when the Cowboys move on for Matt Heber Floose, we will do a deep dive into some of the available candidates, ones that would make sense for the Cowboys. But do you think that the Cowboys are going to pigeonhole themselves into one or two things where, you know, an experienced guy, because they are kind of in a championship window in 2026 and 2027? And number two, do you think they're going to maybe look for guys that fit their current roster, you know, maybe, you know, more of a four, three up the field? What do you think?

[Landon McCool]

Well, I, I think the latter part of the situation, I'll answer by saying I don't know that there is anything on the roster that you need to fit to at this point. Like, you know, like, I think Bland.

[Marcus Mosher]

Can play just about anything.

[Landon McCool]

Right? Yeah, Bland's. Bland is, I think, more coverage agnostic than Diggs was. I think that Ezraku could play standing up or with his hand down in the dirt, and then your defensive tackles, you could play in either one of those kind of situations. I, I do think that I would try to avoid a more two gapping scheme, which I think that they probably would anyways. But, but outside of that, like, I would like to see them try to get somebody that's, you know, one gap scheme doesn't need to be necessarily a 4, 3. It could be a 3, 4 if you want to do that. Right. I think that doesn't matter as much. But I, I think I would like to see somebody that is, is. Is well versed in sim pressures, well versed in modern defense, and is not afraid to blitz. Because I do wonder, like, you know, just in case the Cowboys don't turn over the roster the way they need to, you. You need to have somebody that has the tools in their tool belt to kind of generate defense or at least funnel the offense into the areas where you do have talent on your defense.

[Marcus Mosher]

Well, I mean, it's also like, if you're going to get somebody that has a really high blitz rate, like let's say it's a Brian Flores or a Wink Martindale, whoever. I'm making up names right now. Right. Yeah, yeah, you're going to probably prioritize coverage. Guys, you know, guys that can play man to man. If you're going to be playing, you know, a lot more cover two, you're going to have to prioritize the defensive line and go out and get some guys they can get after the quarterback. So some big decisions the Cowboys front office is going to have to make this offseason, but hopefully it's more Brian Schottenheimer making those decisions than anybody else. But we'll see. I want to talk about the Cowboys offensive line because we heard some very interesting comments from Brian Schottenheimer about Tyler Smith's future. I want to dive into the film a little bit more next. This episode is brought to you by FanDuel. NFL Sundays move fast. One big play and suddenly everything feels different. And that's what makes live betting with FanDuel so exciting. You're not just watching the game, you're reacting to it in real time. With FanDuel you can place bets as the action unfolds. Every drive, every momentum swing, every highlight moment. And live betting is the best when the game starts to shift and a receiver gets hot, a defense tightens up or the momentum flips after a turnover. And FanDuel lets you jump into the moment with live spreads and money lines that adjust instantly, player props that update as guys heat up and you can bet next touchdown scores, drive results and more. It keeps you locked into every snap, every drive and every possibility. So if you want to be right in the middle of the action this football season, visit 50FanDuel.com and place your NFL Live bets all season long. FanDuel the game moves fast and so can you. Lock on Listeners asked for more and now you can get it with the Everydayer Club. For just $5 a month, you'll get every episode ad free plus access to our members only. Discord Exclusive audio from Locked On Sports today. Then up other perks you won't find anywhere else. If you never miss a show, this is the next step. Join the Everydayer club [e-mail] everydayerclub or visit the link in the show notes. That's lockedonpodcast.com everydayerclub part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your team every day. Welcome back to the Lockdown Catholics Podcast. We'd like to thank you for making us your first listen every single day. You guys should join the Everyday Club. You're going to get all access to Landon and I one on one text chats. You can get ad free episodes. It makes listening to this podcast even more enjoyable than what it already is. Go. So go to locked on cowboys.supercast.com to learn more. Lane let's talk about the Cowboys offensive line and I want to start with Tyler Smith, because you watched all of his snaps today, played 57 snaps at left tackle in this game, replacing Tyler Guyton, who's been out with a high ankle injury. How do you think he played?

[Landon McCool]

I think he played well. I mean, I, I think, you know, there's no breaking ground or breaking news with, with Tyler Smith playing left tackle. I think his strengths and his weaknesses have remained mostly the same since he's been a young player. I, I, I think that, you know, he's super. The things that make him a good guard are the things that serve him a tackle, right? He's very strong. He's got incredible grip strength. Once he gets his hands on you, it's probably over, right? But the things that are the reason that he plays inside are also still apparent when he plays tackle right. Like, his footwork isn't super perfect, clean. He makes up with it a lot with his grip strength, with his power. There's definitely times when it feels like you watch him and he's chasing guys, which usually comes from, you know, kind of a lack of assuredness on, on what he's doing, footwork wise. He's not getting to his landmarks maybe as cleanly as he needs to, so he's striking with a little bit off balance. And then, then when he does that, you start to see the kind of things that he'd had at Tulsa, right, where he's striking too, with his hands too wide, right? And he's. That means that can lead to holding penalties, which I think he actually had a holding penalty, if I'm not mistaken.

[Marcus Mosher]

Although that one, it was, I don't want to say it was a bad holding call.

[Landon McCool]

I just know, a little soft. To me, the qu. The problem with the whole that specific holding call was the timing of, of when the hold occurred. Like the ball was coming out already by the time the hold happened. So I, he did hold him, but it like, you know, I can live with that one.

[Marcus Mosher]

That's, that's not an egregious one. Like, you get called for it, whatever.

[Landon McCool]

Yeah, absolutely, absolutely. I think it was a bad example for my point in this, but I do think the point still stands, is that, you know, you're seeing it where his hands are getting a little too wide because he's got a lot of room and he's trying to control guys on the outside of the shoulder pads, which is going to incur, you know, some holding penalties. So I think he's a better than average NFL left tackle, which is really, really saying something, considering he doesn't really practice it or do much there. I just think that ultimately at the end of the day, there's a ceiling there because of the way he plays the game and because the, the, of his mental, of his technique and the way he overcomes it. He's just better inside a guard where there's less room for those kind of mistakes to rear their ugly head. There's rest room for his punch and get his hands wide. I just think he's a better guard and that's why I, I don't hate him at tackle. I just think he's a better guard.

[Marcus Mosher]

Concede all those points. Like, I don't think there's anybody arguing that he's not a better left guard than he is left tackle. I think the issue or the discussion that we can have is what's more valuable to a team having a, let's say a top five left guard. Now, he hasn't always played that way. This year I need to give him some benefit of the doubt though. He's playing through a knee injury. I think he's starting to get healthier. I think for the most part, over the last three years we would say top five left guard or let's say the 12th ranked left tackle and maybe even higher because he's. One of the things I will say about Tyler Smith that we have not talked about is he really hasn't had a whole off season to work at tackle because when he got drafted he was expected to be a guard, right? Had all that off season to be a guard. He got thrown into left tackle late in camp. Then he's played guard the last couple years and I think if you were to tell him in an offseason, hey, you're going to be our left tackle, I think you would see a big jump in his play. But if he's the eighth or ninth left tackle in the league, is that better than being the fourth left guard? I don't know. I, I honestly don't know. And I think that's maybe some of the equation the Cowboys are going to have to figure out this off season.

[Landon McCool]

I, I, I think that that's a whole conversation to have by itself, like the value of guard relative to tackle and where he lands on the spectrum on each one. I, I would, I would say though that I think that it's kind of dulled a little bit by the fact that one of the things that Dax specifically likes is having a very solid front of pocket. And I think it's, it's, it's really, really difficult to kind of have that when you've got a weak link. And, And I like TJ Bass, and I think that he goes out there and he plays at a starter level, but I just don't know that he's the same sort of stout pass protector inside that you have with Tyler Smith. I think that at tackle, you know, it's easier to give those guys a little bit of help. And I think the Dak, even Dak even prefers to get the. Have the problems come from his outside because he likes to step up to deliver the ball. I, I also think that you're creating a problem with, With. With Tyler Guyton, that that guy's problem right now is he needs to stay healthy. Right. And I think that you're creating another problem for having him switch back to right tackle, which I, you know, I don't think it's quite as easy to just flip the switch with this guy back and forth. And I. It's. The question now becomes like. Because I know what Schottenheimer said today, too. The question now becomes like, is this a situation where you're trying to get the best performance for the Cowboys the rest of the year and you don't necessarily want to rush Tyler Guyton back for injury, or are you really considering doing a kind of double switch here? And that's kind of where I'm interested to see how this all plays out a little bit.

[Marcus Mosher]

My guess is that the Cowboys don't have any concrete plans right now. I think they just feel like Thomas has been struggling and he's dealing with some kind of shoulder injury. We. This is a really good defensive line against the Chargers. We know that Baskin give you adequate play at left guard. Let's at least do this. And if Guyton's ready in week 18, we can rotate him in at right tackle or whatever, just to give us some different looks. I don't have any strong feelings. I, I. Either way, I think a lot of it honestly just depends on Guyton and, like, can he stay healthy. And there is a point where, I mean, we're getting. We're going into year three. He's been dealing with a lot of fluke injuries, but it is a lot. It's a lot to figure out who's playing left tackle every week and moving that spot in and out. And maybe you feel like, hey, let's just go with the more durable guys and we'll figure it out that way.

[Landon McCool]

Yeah. Because, I mean, the thing is, is that. And, And I, I kind of want to Push back on something real quick is that I don't think that Tyler Smith would, I think if you gave him an off season to play left tackle, I, I think he would be better, but I don't think it would be that much better.

[Marcus Mosher]

I think like you're incrementally better.

[Landon McCool]

Yeah, like I think that this is who he is a little bit. So, so my, my point being like I, I just don't understand the idea of like leaning into this strategy like as the long term strategy right now when it feels like you could just go back to this at any time. And I would rather like plan as you're going with Guyton as your left tackle and if it doesn't work out, it's, it clearly seemingly works whenever you want to just kind of throw Tyler Smith out there. It's just like a very, it's a high floor, low ceiling sort of situation with him.

[Marcus Mosher]

Yeah, this feels, I agree with you. I think this should be the break glass in case of emergency situation where hey, Guyton's going to be out four weeks. Rather than putting Nate Thomas out there, let's use Tyler Smith. We know we can get adequate play at left tackle for a month and we'll scheme around it. But I, I, I agree with you. I think your best five is figuring out a way to get Guyton left tackle, keep Tyler Smith at left left guard and that way you have a real strength in the middle of your offensive line. We'll continue to, to talk about this all offseason long because I'm sure it's going to be a big deal. But I also want to talk about the Cowboys defensive tackles because very quietly they have a top 10 defensive tackle on their team and he was not named. Quinn and Williams. We'll get to that next. This episode is brought to you by Cargurus. Car shopping should feel exciting and not confusing. And with car gurus you get the confidence that you deserve. They cut through all of the noise. You can actually see the best deals on the cars that you want because when it comes to a big purchase, you, you deserve the best deal. And Cargurus makes the whole process simple by giving you real information, real deal ratings and more listings than anyone else so you can shop the way that you want. Use Cargurus deal ratings to compare cars quickly without having to guess whether the price is fair or not. You'll love being able to filter by everything including mileage, trim features, so you're only seeing the cars that actually fit what you need. And Cargurus connects you with trusted dealerships for a transparent and hassle free buying process. And with over 4 million listings, the most of any major automotive marketplace, you'll always find the best deal possible. So shop the way that you want with tools, data and unbiased deal ratings that make the entire process easy. Buy or sell your next [e-mail] that is cargurus.com cargurus.com this is Tyler Roland from the Locked on Titans podcast. This message is a paid partnership with Apple Card. I love how simple it is to pay using Apple Card with Apple Pay. It's built right into my iPhone so it's always ready to go. I was on vacation recently. I didn't even have to bring my wallet to the beach. Plus I earn up to 3% daily cash back on every purchase when I use my Apple Card with Apple Pay. I apply for Apple Card in the Wallet app on your iPhone subject to credit approval. Apple Card issued by Goldman Sachs Bank USA, Salt Lake City branch terms and more@apple card.com welcome back to the Lock on Cowboys podcast. We'd like to thank you for making us your first listen every single day. L. I want to talk about the defensive tackles because very quietly, Kenny Clark has played some really good football and I thought he was really good in this game. Again, I know the offensive line for the Chargers is a mess, but this isn't a one off thing. Like he's been playing really good football for the last couple of months.

[Landon McCool]

Sorry about that. Yeah, it feels like, you know, he's been galvanized a lot by the Quinn and Williams trade and not in like a negative feeling challenge sort of way, more just in a, like he's just really, truly taking advantage of, of the kind of gravity that Quinn and Williams pulls on the offensive line and, and just taking it, taking advantage of the opportunities. Right. And even in where Quinn and wasn't a part of the game, he had a really solid game and like you said, like it is kind of a ravaged offensive line but, but still he was out there. I mean no one else was out there making plays really. So yeah, I, I felt like he, he played, he's played well. He's played very, very well these last few weeks. And, and I think it's, you know, there's, there was a conversation that was happening before the Quinn Williams trade about do the Cowboys want to deal with Kenny Clark long term or, or should they, you know, you know, figure out, let him go and try to save some money. To me it's like it's it's, you have to find a way to keep him because the defensive tackle situation in the NFL, it's difficult. Like it's hard to find these guys, especially the guys that can rush the passer and play the run. Well. You have a couple of these guys now and frankly it's getting to the point you and I were talking about this, that deep at the tackle room overall is getting a little bit crowded because you got a couple of different guys. Especially now that Perry and Winfrey came in and gave you some pretty solid snaps. You've got a pretty crowded defensive tackle room in which that you could not find a defensive tackle that you wanted to put on the field on this team. Outside of OSA Digizua before, you know, August of this year.

[Marcus Mosher]

Yeah, just run through a couple of the numbers really quickly. I had you pull them up before the show started. Since week seven, Kenny Clark is the sixth ranked defensive tackle in the NFL. Six out of 59. Very impressive. Osa Digizua is 12th out of 59. Quinn Williams has missed some time, but if he had a little bit more snaps, he would actually be number one in the league. So that's three defensive tackles inside the top 12. Landon. And that doesn't even count who you've mentioned like Solomon Thomas who has been an above average defensive tackle this year. Perry on Winfrey, who again very, very small sample size from this week, but he's, he played well against the Chargers. Is this something that you just lean into in 2026 and figure out ways to get more of the defensive tackles onto the field? Or does somebody like Kenny Clark who has no guaranteed money left on his deal. I'm not saying the Cowboys should want to trade him because he's been playing well, but is he somebody that like now is an asset that maybe you could trade him to improve your defensive end room?

[Landon McCool]

Well, I think it's, it's gonna, you know, this is one of the things that actually may have an effect on, on you know, who your future defensive coordinator is and, and vice versa that who your defense future defensive coordinator may have an effect on, on how this situation gets handled. Right. Because I, I do think that, look, it's rare to have three of defensive tackles of this kind of ill call in one team. Maybe you need to find a defensive coordinator who can kind of unleash that a little bit, help you play some more kind of three man fronts, some, some mint type stuff that on, on, on passing downs. Now that's going to kind of change a little bit the the structure of what that defensive line room is going to look like. But I think as long as they're continuing to attack up field and allow these guys to kind of play, you know, especially guys like osa play a little bit more on the outside and maybe some four, I stuff some five technique stuff, I do think that you're gonna have a kind of unique situation. And if you look, look at like how Denver plays with their fronts, right, like they use a lot of bigger bodies up front to kind of help stop the run. And then they use some of the Nick Bonito size, you know, guys on the outside as their pass rushers. I mean, and that kind of fits what you've got. Nezaraku. I think those body types are a little bit easier to procure as pass rushers. And if you look at the. What's available coming into the draft, it certainly fits those kind of body types. Right. So I, I think there's some synergy here. If you can find the right kind of defense coordinator who can work with that sort of thing. Lean into what you've got.

[Marcus Mosher]

You.

[Landon McCool]

You've already got to procure so much talent like it, you shouldn't give away talent at this point unless you're getting a lot in return. Right? Like if you're trading Kenny Clark for two players or a player to pick, maybe you can convince me. But it's. I think right now, don't give away talent if you've got it.

[Marcus Mosher]

Yeah, I agree with it. Just think of all the assets on defense, he's probably the most tradable because he's playing really well, which is a great thing for Dallas. I know there's people listening to this podcast right now thinking they need to go to a 3, 4. Go to a 3, 4. They. That's how you get those guys in the field. And I don't necessarily disagree, but it's got to be the right kind of 3, 4. And honestly, 34 anymore kind of gone out of, you know, it's the way the dodo bird, right. You don't see traditional three fours, but I don't think you want it to be like a Romeo Kernell or Dick LeBeau 34, where these guys are just starting to eat blocks. I actually think like a Wade Phillips defense where you get these guys like attacking gaps. That's how you could be really good.

[Landon McCool]

Yeah, I, I don't, I don't want to change the way these guys are playing. Right. I don't want them playing full on to technique where they're, you know, setting the, setting the edge.

[Marcus Mosher]

They're nothing.

[Landon McCool]

They're lifting the guys, they're separating, they're peaking. Like I want these guys getting through gaps. I want these guys one gapping. I just think that you could change the structure. And look, it doesn't necessarily need to be a 3 4, just more guys that play multiple fronts. Right. Like I think Dan Quinn is, is sort of kind of what you're talking about where he was willing to put guys where they needed to be and make it work as long as the, the fits work right. And I think that there's ways to do this where you can play, deploy these guys a lot and, and still kind of continue to have them getting up field and be playmakers.

[Marcus Mosher]

That is it for today's show. We want to thank you for making lots on Cowboys your first listen every single day. If you need a last minute holiday gift or someone keeps asking you what you want and make it easy, ask for the Everyday club ad, free episodes of the show, exclusive Discord Server server access and more. And subscriptions can be gifted through the Lockon Cowboys.Supercast.com link. And for those of you on video, we can send you the first ever 24. 7 national NBA YouTube channel. And on audio, make sure that you check out the Lock on NFL podcast. Follow Landon on Twitter @McCool BCB. I'm @Marcus Underscore Mosher. We'll see you right back here tomorrow. Calling all daydreamers and date nighters. Come immerse yourself in the rich culture of Texas and dig into our mouth watering barbecue. Trailblazers can explore our natural wonders.

[Landon McCool]

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