The Dallas Cowboys have a big need on the defensive line now that DeMarcus Ware has been cut and names like Julius Peppers, Jared Allen, Justin Tuck and Henry Melton have come up as possible options and that could continue to move if Jason Hatcher signs with the Seattle Seahawks, a team he is planning to visit as a free agent.
The Cowboys released Ware this week in a business move, as they needed to free up some cap space and now they have about $8 million more to work with, but at the same time they have a huge hole on their defensive line. According to ESPN.com, the team cut Ware quickly to allow him the chance to find a new team and the Denver Broncos have emerged as a strong contender for his services. The Cowboys now have to find a replacement and they are lucky, as the market has a number of names now in Peppers, Tuck and Allen, with the latter two getting targeted by the Oakland Raiders.
LaMarr Woodley is another option for the Cowboys and he could be a target for a number of teams, while Ware is on his way out of town and if the Denver Broncos sign him, they could be on their way to another Super Bowl next season. The Broncos need to shore up their pass rush after losing Elvis Dumervil and having Von Miller injured and adding Ware could be the next move they make after also signing TJ Ward and Aqib Talib and they also have interest in Jon Beason.
The Cowboys don't have too much money to burn, but the Ware move helped greatly and now they could add multiple players on the line to make up for Ware going and also Jason Hatcher, who is a free agent getting plenty of interest. Hatcher already is visiting five teams and one of those is the Seattle Seahawks and coming off a Pro Bowl season, there is a chance he will cash in and that could price him out of Dallas. Melton is the top option to replace him and he looks like he will be leaving the Bears and he is also five years younger than Hatcher.
Melton is the top defensive tackle on the market after Linval Joseph signed with the Vikings and he comes in after getting injured last season and missing the year and at 27 he could get some attention. He made the Pro Bowl under defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli in Chicago and now he is in Dallas and that could lead to a reunion. Tuck and Allen are a bit on the older side and while Peppers is coming off of a down year, all three are solid options to come in and take over for Ware. The Raiders are going to make a push after losing Lamarr Houston, but if they don't sign in Oakland, Dallas is a possible destination.
The Cowboys have a number of holes on defense and adding some size and speed to the front line on D will be huge as they try to rebound from another 8-8 season out of the playoffs.