Donovan Ezeiruaku hasn’t filled up the sack column yet, but Brian Schottenheimer isn’t sweating it.
The Dallas Cowboys head coach said on 105.3 The Fan that the rookie edge rusher has been “playing awesome,” and made it clear he thinks the bigger numbers are coming if Ezeiruaku keeps showing the same kind of week-to-week impact.
"He's playing awesome. He really is.
I think, you know, we say it this way, whether you're talking about, you know, turnovers on defense, creating them, or sacks, they come in bunches. Is it going to be this week?
Shoot, I hope so. But he's been playing incredible," Schottenheimer said.
Schottenheimer also pointed to the details behind the production, saying Ezeiruaku’s pass-rush plan is already looking polished for a young player.
"And if you really look at technique that he's using, man. He's creating a really cool assortment of tools with his pass rush moves, and I think that's really cool to see for a young player. He's taking a lot of the coaching and the things that Chidera (Uzo-Diribe), BT Jordan, CP are all teaching him, and this guy is developing at a high, high, high rate."
Through two games, the 2025 second-round pick has 13 tackles, a half-sack and one forced fumble. PFF has him down for five pressures and four quarterback hurries, and he’s been living in the backfield.
That’s come against some tough mobility too, with Ezeiruaku already facing Jaxson Dart, Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota. The next test is even trickier: Baltimore and Lamar Jackson, who is arguably the most mobile quarterback in the NFL.
For Dallas, the pressure alone isn’t enough. The defense has to turn those disruptions into actual stops and takeaways. Players like Ezeiruaku, Von Miller, Malachi Lawrence and Quinnen Williams need to start finishing plays if this unit is going to push toward contender status.
There have been a couple of encouraging flashes already. Caleb Downs had a sack in Week 1, and Jaishawn Barham forced a fumble in Week 2. If this defense is going to turn under Christian Parker, turnovers are the quickest route, and the pass rush - led by Ezeiruaku - has to keep setting the tone.
In Other News...
Dak Prescott Dragged Back Into Ugly Off-Field Drama By Ex
Sarah Jane Ramos, the former fiance of Dak Prescott, was back in the spotlight this week after publicly shutting down rumors that she is pregnant. In addressing the chatter, she also pointed to a happier stretch in her own life since ending the relationship with the Cowboys quarterback, a breakup that had already been marked by the couple canceling their planned 2026 wedding.
Prescott has long kept his off-field life relatively private, but the latest round of comments has pulled him back into an uncomfortable public conversation. Ramos went further in her remarks by alleging infidelity during their relationship, adding another layer to a split that had already been messy enough without fresh speculation attached to it. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Could Catch A Break In Key Ravens Matchup
A possible absence in Baltimores passing game is shaping up as one of the more relevant injury notes for Dallas heading into Week 3. Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers has been dealing with a hamstring injury, and after missing the second half of Week 1 and all of Week 2, he also did not practice recently, which puts his availability against the Cowboys very much in question.
For Dallas, the timing matters. The Cowboys are already preparing for a tough road matchup, and if Baltimore opts to be cautious with Flowers to keep the injury from getting worse, it would change how the Ravens build their offense around Lamar Jackson and the rest of the receiving group. The final decision still hangs over the week, but this is the kind of opening the Cowboys will be watching closely as kickoff approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Already Have One Clear Winner In A Concerning 2027 Trend
The Cowboys have already gotten an early read on a few players whose contract futures will matter in 2027, and the evaluations are looking mixed at best. Dee Winters has been the clearest bright spot on defense, turning in a strong showing even while playing through injury, which only helps his case as a player Dallas will want to keep in the conversation. George Pickens, meanwhile, has not yet matched the kind of production the Cowboys hoped to see from him, leaving his early market value and role with the team more uncertain.
The bigger concern may still be in the trenches, where both the offensive and defensive lines have continued to struggle. For a team trying to build toward a more stable offseason picture, those issues matter just as much as the individual performances around them, because they shape how Dallas will judge its own depth and priorities. With 2027 looming on the horizon for this group, the Cowboys are already seeing which names are helping themselves and which ones still have work to do. [Read more 🡒]