4 pass rushers Cowboys can sign to fill in for Marshawn Kneeland

With Marshawn Kneeland hurt and DeMarcus Lawrence out for at least four weeks, the Dallas Cowboys could look for outside help.

Chicago Bears defensive lineman Yannick Ngakoue (91) celebrates with defensive back Kyler Gordon (6) after dropping the Green Bay Packers ballcarrier for a loss in the first half at Soldier Field / Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images

Injuries have been an issue for the Dallas Cowboys once again, with the defensive line taking the biggest hits. They headed into Week 5 with Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence out, and Lawrence will be gone for a while.

The veteran defensive end was placed on the IR, meaning he'll be out of action for at least four weeks. They'll were going to be leaning heavily on rookie Marshawn Kneeland since Sam Williams is also on the IR after tearing his ACL in training camp.

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That's changed now with Kneeland suffering an injury against the Steelers. With him out, the front office will need to look for outside help with these four players standing out as options.

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Shaq Lawson

Oct 15, 2023; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills defensive end Shaq Lawson / Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

In 2016, Shaq Lawson was the 19th overall pick by the Buffalo Bills. He never lived up to expectations but was a part of their rotation for four years and had 6.5 sacks in 2019. He then played one season in Miami and one with the New York Jets before returning to Buffalo.

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In all, he has eight years of experience with 38 starts in 109 games. Lawson is a powerful 265-pounder who has 207 tackles and 26 sacks in his career.

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Myjai Sanders

Arizona Cardinals linebacker Myjai Sanders / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

A third-round pick from Cincinnati in 2022, Myjai Sanders had all the athleticism of a star player but was on the thin side. He still made an impact as a rookie with 23 tackles and three sacks for the Arizona Cardinals.

Despite this, he didn't survive the coaching change when Jonathan Gannon took over and was waived. He was claimed by the Houston Texans, playing in just seven games. He's not an every-down defender but can serve as a pass-rushing specialist.

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Justin Houston

Carolina Panthers linebacker Justin Houston (50) / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The most experienced of the available options, Justin Houston has been in the NFL since 2011. He spent eight years with the Kansas City Chiefs and was one of the top pass-rushers in the game during his tenure. Houston even racked up 22 sacks in 2014.

He's been a journeyman since leading in 2019, spending last season with two teams. He had just nine tackles and 0.5 sacks in seven games for the Carolina Panthers but isn't too far removed from a 9.5 sack campaign in 2022 with Baltimore.

Houston is another player who wouldn't be a full-time starter but could provide a spark in spurts during Lawrence's absence.

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Yannick Ngakoue

Indianapolis Colts defensive end Yannick Ngakoue (91) celebrates after sacking Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) / Robert Scheer/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

Yannick Ngagokue could be the one full-time starting option but he would need to be added to the active roster straight away since he's currently on the Baltimore Ravens' practice squad.

Ngakoue had 69 sacks in eight seasons. He had 9.5 in 2022 with the Indianapolis Colts, followed by 4.0 last year with the Chicago Bears. He missed the final four games with an ankle injury, which led to him sitting on the free agency list longer than expected.

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