Commanders lose top pass rusher to Cowboys
Dante Fowler is not returning to the Commanders in 2025.
No, not only is Fowler taking his 10.5 quarterback sacks elsewhere, but he is going to be in the NFC East and thus rushing the Commanders and Jayden Daniels twice next season.
Fowler signed with the Dallas Cowboys on Friday to return to the same Texas scene where he played for the Cowboys during the 2022 and 2023 seasons. The Cowboys and Fowler reached an agreement on a one-year, $8M deal.
The Commanders apparently were not pushing to re-sign Fowler (at least at $8M a year) because, though they liked Fowler's intensity in getting after the quarterback, he did experience difficulty setting the edge in the run defense. Turning 31 in August, Fowler returns to where he played in Dan Quinn's defenses for two seasons.
It is perfectly understandable why the Cowboys were looking to sign Fowler. This week, they also lost DE DeMarcus Lawrence to free agency when the veteran of 11 Dallas Cowboy seasons determined he would depart from Texas and sign with the Seattle Seahawks. In his 11 seasons with the Cowboys, Lawrence accumulated 61.5 quarterback sacks.
Fowler generated 55.5 quarterback sacks in his nine NFL seasons, including 15 forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries. A big highlight for Fowler in 2024 was intercepting a pass against the Carolina Panthers and returning it 67 yards for a defensive touchdown. The Commanders will now need to consider how they are going to replace Fowler's 10.5 sacks, 14 additional tackles for a loss, and 10 quarterback hits.
The Commanders may be looking to second-year DE Javontae Jean-Baptiste (6-5, 260), whom they drafted out of Notre Dame, to take on more of a prominent role in 2025. GM Adam Peters may select an edge rusher in this year's NFL draft.
Moving on from the University of Florida, Fowler was once the third overall selection by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2015 NFL Draft.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders lose top 2024 pass rusher, who returns to Cowboys
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