The Dallas Cowboys have a pass-rush problem they need to figure out, and I don’t think it is as simple as looking at sack totals.
That’s where people can get fooled.
A player can have a few sacks and still not be someone who consistently wins. Another player can have a lower sack number, but create pressure over and over again.
For Dallas, I think this comes down to one question.
Who can actually help this defense get to the quarterback?
The numbers show a pretty clear gap.
If I’m looking at this group and trying to find the safest pass-rush answer, Rashan Gary is the name that stands out.
Gary had 60 pressures on 446 pass-rush snaps in 2025. That gives him a 13.5% pressure rate. He also had 7 sacks, 13 quarterback hits, and 40 hurries.
Those numbers matter because they show more than just flash. Gary was not just lucking into sacks. He was affecting the quarterback.
His true finish rate was 11.7%, and his impact pressure rate was 4.5%.
That’s solid.
What makes Gary different from the rest of this group is his career in the NFL. He has a 14.5% career pressure rate and a 15.5% true finish rate in the numbers I looked at.
If the Cowboys want someone who can step in and raise the floor right away, Rashan Gary is the guy I would feel best about.
James Houston is not as safe as Rashan Gary, but his numbers as a pass rusher are hard to ignore.
In 2025, Houston had 25 pressures on 182 pass-rush snaps, which translates to a 13.7% pressure rate.
That’s right there with Rashan Gary, but the difference is James Houston’s finish rate.
Houston had 6 sacks on those 25 pressures. That gave him a true 24.0% finish rate. He also had 10 quarterback hits, which pushed his impact pressure rate to 8.8%.
I think that is the kind of number that should make fans take a double take.
I know the sample is smaller because of Houston’s 397 career pass-rush snaps. That’s why I can’t put him in the same safe bucket as Gary.
But, if Dallas wants a pass-rush piece who can turn pressure into negative plays, Houston has some juice.
He may not be the answer as a full-time edge, but as a rush-package weapon, I would be interested.
Donovan Ezeiruaku is one of the young guns the Cowboys want to take the next step as a pass rusher in 2026.
He has the tools, now he just needs the numbers.
In 2025, he had 36 pressures on 343 pass-rush snaps, which comes ut to a 10.5% pressure rate. That’s not great, but it’s not bad either.
The issue in his young career is finishing.
Ezeiruaku had 2 sacks on those 36 pressures, which gave him a 5.6% true...
