Cowboys sign defensive tackle Drake Nevis

In what appears to be a direct response to the likelihood that the Dallas Cowboys have lost defensive end Anthony Spencer for the remainder of the season, the club has made a move to secure some depth on the defensive line.

The Cowboys announced the signing of former Colts defensive tackle Drake Nevis on Tuesday, and as a result, they released Jerome Long from their active roster. This is a pure reinforcement effort from Dallas, as Nevis isn’t necessarily a similar player to Spencer, but with his versatility and experience, it could allow the team to go in several different directions along the defensive line.

Nevis has appeared in parts of 2 seasons for the Colts, and was a member of the Chargers earlier in the season, but his inability to stick is likely a result of injuries rather than performance. He has always shown a bit of burst despite his position and size (6-foot-1 and nearly 300 pounds), and with that, he could be used as a defensive end in some larger packages.

The loss of Spencer isn’t one that will go away quietly for the 2-1 Cowboys, but this is an encouraging, forward-thinking move from Jerry Jones and company to secure a relatively high-upside player for no cost. We’ll see if it pans out in the short term.