FRISCO, Texas — Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said Tuesday that edge rusher Rashan Gary has had some really good rushes through three games, but that Gary and the rest of the Dallas Cowboys edge players have to do a better job setting the edge.
Dallas acquired Gary from the Green Bay Packers in March for a 2027 fourth-round pick. He made the Pro Bowl in 2024 and had 7.5 sacks in each of his last two seasons in Green Bay, with 46.5 sacks across seven seasons there after the Packers drafted him 12th overall in 2019.
Schottenheimer said he likes Gary’s play style and physicality, including when Dallas drops him into coverage.
“I think Rashan’s doing some really good things. I love his play style and how physical he is. He’s had some really good rushes. When we’ve dropped him in coverage, he’s been pretty good,” Schottenheimer said. “But like all the edge players, not just Rashan, we have to do a better job containing and setting the edges and not letting the ball get outside of us. Corners have to come up and support against tackles and guards. All those edge players have to be better at that.”
Gary has ties to the Dallas defensive staff. Defensive coordinator Christian Parker was a defensive quality control coach in Green Bay when the Packers drafted him, and passing game coordinator Derrick Ansley was with him there in 2024 and 2025. Defensive tackle Kenny Clark, his former Packers teammate, came to Dallas in the August 2025 trade that sent Micah Parsons to Green Bay.
Rashan Gary Could Lose Some Snaps To Malachi Lawrence And Von Miller
Schottenheimer said Wednesday that Dallas wants to take some snaps off Gary and give them to rookie Malachi Lawrence and veteran Von Miller.
“But if we can take a little bit off of RG and give it to those two guys, I think that will certainly help us,” Schottenheimer said. “That’s a pretty common theme during the early stages of the season, because you’re trying to figure it out. These guys don’t want to come out, and it’s our job to make sure we manage it so they feel great going into the fourth quarter, when you’re really going to need them.”
Dallas already lowered the snap counts of defensive tackles Quinnen Williams and Clark, which Schottenheimer said helped.
Cowboys Defense Still Getting Hurt On The Perimeter
The Cowboys were better inside against the run in Rio and much better on third down, Schottenheimer said Tuesday, but the edges and tackling were not good enough.
“We’re giving up too many points. That’s real. Why? A lot of different reasons. But I do think there were some things we got better at. Our inside run defense was really good. Third down was much improved,” Schottenheimer said. “Where we’re getting hurt is on the perimeter. Our contain off the edges is not very good, and we need to be better in that regard. Our tackling was sloppy in this game, and those hidden yards popped up. We have to find a pass rush. We’re around it, but we have to get the guys down.”
Derrick Henry ran for 89 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries for Baltimore. Schottenheimer said Wednesday that opponents keep running the same perimeter plays to see whether Dallas has fixed them.
“One of the areas we really talk about is our perimeter run defense, an area that we have to get better in. You see teams running the same things, and that needs to get improved because they’re checking to see if we fixed it, and in some cases we haven’t,” Schottenheimer said.
Gary and the Dallas pass rush face a Texans offense that Schottenheimer said moves quarterback C.J. Stroud’s launch point with bootlegs. Kickoff at Reliant Stadium is set for noon CT Sunday on Fox.
