The Cowboys got a double dose of bad news on Thursday.
In addition to announcing that linebacker Rolando McClain will be suspended for the first 10 games of the season because of another violation of the NFL’s substance abuse policy, they also passed along word that defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence’s four-game suspension under the same policy has been upheld by the league.
Defensive end Randy Gregory rounds out the trio of Cowboys defenders who will open up the season serving suspensions, which should make it difficult for the Cowboys to realize any significant immediate improvement over last year’s lackluster performance on that side of the ball. Benson Mayowa, Charles Tapper, Ryan Russell and David Irving are among the options for the team at defensive end while Gregory and Lawrence are out of the picture.
After the Cowboys drafted running back Ezekiel Elliott in the first round, owner Jerry Jones said the team hoped his presence would lead to more possession on offense, fewer plays for the defense and, as a result, a better performance from that unit. It may have to if the Cowboys are going to improve on last year’s results.
