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3 Players the Cowboys Can Sign to Replace Gerald McCoy

By Max Staley

Gerald McCoy's injury leaves the Dallas Cowboys in a tough spot.
Gerald McCoy's injury leaves the Dallas Cowboys in a tough spot. / Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images
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The Dallas Cowboys were dealt a devastating blow on Monday afternoon, as Gerald McCoy is believed to have torn his ACL. He was set to be a key cog in a suddenly-dangerous defensive line and though Tyrone Crawford should pick up some of the slack, Jerry Jones might want to add one more body at defensive tackle.

Here are three players the Cowboys could add to replace the six-time Pro Bowler.

3. Brandon Mebane

Brandon Mebane could help the Cowboys in 2020.
Brandon Mebane could help the Cowboys in 2020. / Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Brandon Mebane is a 13-year NFL veteran. As long as Dallas doesn't ask him to be the full-time starter he should be able to contribute. The 35-year-old is nowhere near the force he used to be, posting a 51.7 grade from Pro Football Focus as a run defender in 2019. But he's a big body that could really help as a rotational piece in run defense and short-yardage situations.

2. Xavier Williams

Xavier Williams could be a nice addition for the Cowboys.
Xavier Williams could be a nice addition for the Cowboys. / Focus On Sport/Getty Images

Xavier Williams was atrocious in 2019, but Dallas might be willing to gamble that it was just a fluke. He received a putrid 31.1 grade from PFF on 118 snaps last season, though he was battling injuries and only appeared in 5 games. He has shown real talent in the past, though, posting grades of 75.2 and 68.2 in 2017 and 2018, respectively. He'd be a nice rotational D-Lineman for Dallas.

1. Damon Harrison

Damon Harrison could help the Cowboys' defense.
Damon Harrison could help the Cowboys' defense. / Patrick McDermott/Getty Images

Damon Harrison plays the same position as McCoy, but they do very different things. McCoy is more of an interior pass-rusher while "Snacks" Harrison specializes in stuffing the run game. Harrison could be a serious boon for Dallas' run defense, though, having received a 66.7 grade from PFF as a run defender in 2019. As a 31-year-old, Harrison shouldn't cost too much to sign.

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Max Staley is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Max Staley also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username mstaley1212. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.