Well, the Cowboys signed a defensive end, but it's not one that's going to get your blood pumping if you were hoping for an elite pass-rusher.
The Cowboys, according to several media reports, reached a deal on Thursday with former Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Cedric Thornton, who played in the Eagles' old 3-4 scheme as a two-gap end. With the Eagles moving to a 4-3, they didn't see the need to bring him back. But the Cowboys, who also run a 4-3, sure thought he was worth a four-year deal worth $18 million.
Not saying Thornton is a bad player. He's not, but he's not the big pass-rusher the Cowboys needed to address their ongoing problem of nothing creating enough pressure on the quarterback.
Thornton started 46 of 49 games the last three seasons, and those three he missed were all in 2015. He has recorded one sack in each of his four NFL seasons but does have 120 solo tackles, showing proficiency as a run stopper.
So will Thornton even play defensive end for Dallas? Who knows? There's a chance he could slide down and play tackle, but if not, the Cowboys are still going to have to address the pass rush this offseason.
