Power Rankings: Another Look At The Injured D-Line

 One of the most common questions we hear at training camp usually starts with the sentence “what are you seeing out of …”

And then you just fill in the blank. So after one and a half weeks of training camp here in sunny California, the Cowboys have yet to do an official depth chart. So the writers of DallasCowboys.com will unveil its position rankings each day.

This isn’t an exact list of the top performers out here in camp, but how they stack up on a would-be depth chart – at least in the eyes of the staff writers.

The writers looked at the defensive line for the first time last week, but injuries and roster moves have jumbled the group after a second viewing.

Henry Melton – 72
George Selvie – 66
Tyrone Crawford – 63
Jeremy Mincey – 63
Nick Hayden – 55
Terrell McClain – 51
Martez Wilson – 45
Davon Coleman – 45
Anthony Spencer -- 38
DeMarcus Lawrence -- 37
Ken Bishop – 37
Dartwan Bush – 27
Caesar Rayford -- 22
Ben Bass – 19
Kenneth Boatwright -- 17
Ben Gardner – 11
Adewale Ojomo – 11
Amobi Okoye – 4


Nick Eatman: Like all positions, injuries create difficulty in these rankings. Guys like Lawrence and Spencer are in the plans so that’s why I feel like they’ve got to be in the top 8-10 spots. And who knows what happens if/when Josh Brent gets here. There is likely a spot for him as well. I’ll be interested to see if he’s better than Coleman or Bishop at the DT spot. Another player that is tough to grade is Crawford, who currently doesn’t work with the first unit but he’s such a valued player because he plays both spots. I ranked him fourth but from a value standpoint, he might be the second-best behind Melton.

Bryan Broaddus: It has been disappointing to see this group try and get itself in shape without DeMarcus Lawrence, Terrell McClain and now George Selvie in the lineup. Henry Melton has been improving and in the last two practices, is finally playing like the type of player that we thought he might be. He is playing with much more confidence and quickness. If there is a bright spot with the injuries it has been the amount of snaps that Davon Coleman and Ken Bishop have been able to get. There hasn’t been a practice where one of them has not done something that caught my eye in a positive way.

Rowan Kavner: Guys need to get healthy. That much is clear when making this list. It’s difficult to slot in Anthony Spencer and DeMarcus Lawrence. PUP is a real possibility for the first guy, but they’re not getting rid of Lawrence, so a roster spot has to go to him. That could be harmful for guys like Bush and Boatright and other young players who have flashed some real potential. Wilson seems to be getting more comfortable on the defensive line, and Coleman remains a really intriguing player on the inside of the line. The Cowboys are going to need a lot out of Mincey early on this year.

David Helman: Looking at this list, it’s pretty staggering how many of these guys are hurt to some kind of degree – even if it’s just a minor injury. Of the 18 guys on this list, seven of them have sat out or are currently sitting out for one reason or another, some more serious than others. Some people disagree with me, but I don’t see Anthony Spencer being ready to start the season. I think he’ll be a PUP guy, opening up a spot for someone else for the time being. Right now, I think Martez Wilson and Ken Bishop have made the most of the depth issues. I think Davon Coleman is a lock to make the roster, barring something unforeseen. I also really like Ben Gardner’s chances of impressing, assuming he can get himself into practice sometime soon.