Henry Melton: Cowboys decline DT’s option, making him a Free Agent
By Ryan Ratty
Henry Melton’s option was declined by the Dallas Cowboys, making him a free agent.
Before the 2014 season, the Dallas Cowboys were in need of impactful play from their defensive tackle positions. The 3-technique defensive tackle position and the 1-technique defensive tackle position weren’t filled and those are two important positions in the 4-3 defensive scheme.
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Rod Marinelli made Henry Melton a Pro Bowler in the 2012 season. However, in 2013, Melton tore his ACL and he went into free agency with not a lot of attention. The Cowboys were able to sign him to a multi-year deal, but the deal was very friendly towards the Cowboys because it gave them the flexibility to release him if he did not perform in 2014.
In 2014, Melton had just 15 total tackles and five sacks. Yes, the sack numbers are nice for a defensive tackle, but it should be said that he was virtually used a pass rusher only in passing situations. Melton never showed that he could recover from the ACL injury and with the Cowboys’ cap situations over the next few years, Dallas made the wise decision by cutting him before he ate up too much money.
Many thought Melton would be this team’s best interior defensive linemen. However, it was third-year man out of Boise State Tyrone Crawford who turned heads. Crawford was drafted to be a defensive end, however, after the Cowboys’ lack of depth at the position, defensive line guru Marinelli transitioned Crawford into a 3-technique defensive end although his stats won’t necessarily prove it, he was excellent for the Cowboys. Crawford will be entering his contract year in 2015 and if he can stay healthy, granted he tore his achilles in 2013, he will be a force going forward.
With Melton gone and the Cowboys not likely going to re-sign Nick Hayden considering he has been downright terrible over the past two seasons, Dallas now has second inexperienced players on their team for the 1-technique position in Davon Coleman and Ken Bishop. Both were rookies in 2014. That being said, don’t be surprised if the Cowboys go defensive tackle early in this year’s draft. Two first-round options who could intrigue the Cowboys are Texas’ Malcom Brown and Florida State’s Eddie Goldman.
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