Much has been made about Michael Bennett’s individual talents since being traded to the Dallas Cowboys late last week, but little has been discussed about the effect the 11-year veteran will have on the rest of the defensive line.

Most importantly, Bennett improves the quality of depth of the entire defensive line. His ability to be effective at both defensive end and under tackle (three-technique defensive tackle) gives Rod Marinelli much more flexibility with his defensive line rotations.

Much like with Tyrone Crawford, the Cowboys can play Bennett at a variety of spots to give different looks, create mismatches and accomplish a myriad of goals. One of the best parts of Bennett is that he can be used to bolster the pass rush or run defense, depending on where he lines up.

Bennett’s presence allows Rod Marinelli to utilize a number of different defensive line combinations to give opposing protection and blocking schemes problems. With that in mind, let’s discuss some of the effect Bennett will have on the Cowboys defensive line rotation.

Deadly combination of pass rushers

Rush package: LDE: DeMarcus Lawrence, DT: Michael Bennett, DT: Maliek Collins, RDE: Robert Quinn

Probably the most exciting part of the Bennett trade is it allows the Cowboys to create, on paper, one of the most dangerous pass rush sub-packages in the league.

With DeMarcus Lawrence and Robert Quinn at their usual respective defensive end spots while Michael Bennett and Maliek Collins man the defensive tackle spots, the Cowboys create a very intimidating pass rush that can be effective in passing situations without the need for blitzing, leaving seven defenders in coverage.

With Lawrence and Quinn on the outside, the Cowboys have two outstanding pass-rushers who are exceedingly difficult to block one-on-one, and opposing teams agree. Going into Week 8, both Quinn and Lawrence ranked top-five in double-team rate among edge defenders, per ESPN’s Seth Walder.

Now, with Bennett and Collins on the inside, the Cowboys finally have two interior rushers who can consistently take advantage of the one-on-one matchups created on the inside. Because of his struggles, at times, against the run, many forget about Collins’ pass-rush ability- he currently leads the team in total pressures (23; one above Lawrence). With that being said, Bennett is an even more intimidating pass-rusher at this point in his career.

The addition of Bennett makes this lineup truly intimidating for opposing offensive lines. With Lawrence, Quinn, Bennett and Collins on the field, the Cowboys truly have no weak link upfront in terms of getting after the passer, which puts pass protections in quite the bind.

If the opposing offense opts to use just their five offensive linemen in pass protection to stop Lawrence, Quinn, Bennett and Collins, it means that three out of Dallas’ four pass-rushers will have one-on-one matchups. The Cowboys have to like the odds that one of the three wins their one-on-one matchup to generate pressure on the opposing QB.

If the offense chooses to add a running back or tight end to the offensive line, creating a six-man protection, the effects are two-fold.

First, even with a six-man protection, two of Dallas’ four defensive linemen will have one-on-one matchups. Given the pass-rush prowess of Lawrence, Quinn, Bennett and Collins individually, the Cowboys still have to like their odds to get home in that situation as well.

Second, the fact that the offense is adding a player to the pass protection means that the Cowboys have to cover one less receiver in coverage. So instead of having seven defenders covering five receivers, it’s seven defenders covering only four receivers.

If for some reason an offense decides to keep seven or eight players in pass protection to effectively stop the Cowboys fearsome pass rush, typically only seen on hard play-action passes, then it makes the back-seven’s job easier as long as they stay disciplined, as they will have a huge numbers advantage (seven defenders covering only two or three receivers).

No matter what the offense does, they are going to have to sacrifice a numbers advantage somewhere. Either they roll the dice and trust their offensive line to block Dallas’ pass rush, which is a losing proposition for most OLs in the NFL, or they add to the protection, thus making Dallas’ job slightly easier in coverage.

None of this ensures success for the defense, but it does give them better odds in these situations.

Cowboys love to run stunts upfront to generate pressure on the QB. Pirate stunt gets Christian Covington home here, as he forces the incomplete throw. pic.twitter.com/Lr44jR0ciI — John Owning (@JohnOwning) September 24, 2019

What makes this combination even more exciting is the myriad of stunts and twists the Cowboys can utilize upfront. For those who don’t know, a stunt or twist is kind of like the NFL’s version of a pick-and-roll.

Typically (there are stunts that incorporate three or four defenders as well), it entails one defender being the penetrator while the other is the looper. The goal of the penetrator is to attract the attention of not only the blocker across from him but also the blocker across from the “looper,” setting up a pseudo screen to get the looping defender free. By occupying two blockers, the penetrator gives the “looper” the opportunity to wrap behind the penetrator and attack the pocket unblocked. Here’s an example:

E/T stunt from DAL allows Tyrone Crawford to put pressure on Matt Ryan as he throws. Great job by Gregory as the penetrator on the stunt to get TC free. pic.twitter.com/FhSU3tm6og — John Owning (@JohnOwning) November 19, 2018

This play in a great example of an EXIT (end then tackle) stunt where the defensive end, Randy Gregory is the penetrator and Tyrone Crawford is the looper. Gregory is able to occupy the right tackle long enough that when he effectively sets a screen on the right guard, Crawford has a clear lane to pressure the QB, which causes an incompletion.

Oftentimes, when an offensive lineman has a high-level pass-rusher upfront, he can get tunnel vision, focusing solely on how he’s going to stop the defender in front of him. This tunnel vision can cause blockers to be a tick slower passing off the original defender and taking on a new defender, which is why the Cowboys’ stunts can be more effective when all four of the defensive linemen are potent pass-rushers who demand attention.

Nice stunt from SEA. Strong club by Michael Bennett to get off block and get to Aaron Rodgers #Seahawks pic.twitter.com/e0HwcsTc0q — John Owning (@JohnOwning) September 11, 2017

Lawrence and Bennett, in particular, can be a potent combination on stunts, as both have proven to be deadly effective on them throughout their careers. Bennett is at his best as a looper whereas Lawrence has proven to be effective in either role, showing the rare ability to generate pressure as the penetrator as well as the looper.

Ultimately, the combination of Lawrence, Quinn, Collins and Bennett on the defensive line gives the Cowboys one of the fiercest rush packages in the league. A group that can be effective and productive not only individually but also when working in-tandem as well.

Expect the Cowboys to use this lineup as their main rush package in obvious passing situations to get after and apply pressure on opposing QBs.

Beef up to stop the run

LDE: DeMarcus Lawrence, DT: Antwaun Woods, DT: Christian Covington, RDE: Michael Bennett

If the Cowboys are in a situation where they’ve been gashed on the ground and want to add more heft to the defensive line to defend the run, they can opt to use a combination of Lawrence (LDE), Antwaun Woods (DT), Christian Covington (DT) and Bennett (RDE).

DLaw is so good pursuing from the backside. Inside rip to cross Lane Johnson's face, defeat hands and get to Howard before he can reach the LOS. We don't talk enough about DLaw's quickness. pic.twitter.com/5puevdnSwO — John Owning (@JohnOwning) October 22, 2019

While Lawrence got paid over $100M to rush the passer, he is just as effective as a run defender. He’s outstanding in backside pursuit and at the point of attack.

Christian Covington eats another double team, which keeps Jaylon Smith clean. This allows Jaylon to flow to the ball and make the stop without having to fight through a block. #Cowboys pic.twitter.com/B7J8RfkCtE — John Owning (@JohnOwning) October 1, 2019

The combination of Woods and Covington makes the defense stout, and their ability to occupy blocks should enable the Cowboys LBs to stay clean and pursue the ball carrier.

Bennett is a stout run defender on the edge, possessing the dual ability to penetrate and disrupt as well as set the edge at the point-of-attack.

The benefit of this combination is that even though it’s a lineup built to stop the run, there are still two effective pass rushers on the field if the offense decides to air it out.

This is not a combination that the Cowboys should use often, as it would be beneficial to have at least one interior pass-rushing presence in case there’s a pass, but if the Cowboys are getting beat up between the tackles on the ground, this is the type of defensive line combination the Cowboys could turn to in an effort to stop, or at least slow, the bleeding.

Still dangerous with DeMarcus Lawrence or Robert Quinn on the sidelines

A big problem the Cowboys defensive line has had thus far is remaining effective when either Robert Quinn or DeMarcus Lawrence is out of the game.

According to The Quant Edge, the Cowboys sack rate falls precipitously (7.6% with Lawrence on the field, 4.3% without) while the opposing team’s run (43.6% with Lawrence, 57.4% without) and pass (48.7% with Lawrence, 55.6% without) success rates improve drastically with Lawrence off the field. The Cowboys defense also allows over a yard more per carry (3.73 YPC with Lawrence, 4.93 without) when Lawrence is off the field.

The numbers are similar for Quinn. The Cowboys sack rate sees a major drop (11.4% with Quinn, 2.6% without) with Quinn off the field while run (45.8% with Quinn, 51.9% without) and pass (47.5% with Quinn, 53.7% without) success also see a noticeable improvement when Quinn is on the bench. The Cowboys likewise allow over a yard more per carry (3.4 with Quinn, 5.01 without) with Quinn off the field.

As we outlined last week, Bennett is an effective run defender from the defensive end position to go along with his usual pass-rush prowess (though he is slightly more successful rushing inside).

The addition of Bennett should help the defensive line maintain its effectiveness when Lawrence or Quinn need a breather. No offense to Dorance Armstrong or Kerry Hyder, who are nice pieces to have as a part of the defensive line rotation, but they just don’t provide the juice that Bennett does off the edge – both against the run and pass. Bennett being the replacement is a huge upgrade for the Cowboys defense, giving the Cowboys another playmaking presence when Quinn or Lawrence is getting a breather.

While it’d be dishonest to say the Bennett will erase any disadvantage created when either Lawrence or Quinn is off the field, his presence will certainly lessen the impact of Lawrence or Quinn’s absence, giving the defense better odds to be successful with one of its star defensive ends.

Ease the load on Maliek Collins

Bennett’s presence also takes some pressure off Maliek Collins, who is averaging more snaps per game this season (47.7) than any other in his career. Bennett's ability to be an impactful penetrator allows the Cowboys to ease up the load on Collins in an effort to keep the four-year DT fresher and more explosive throughout individual games and the season as a whole.

Final thoughts

Overall, Bennett’s well-rounded game and position versatility will have a major effect on the quality and depth of the Cowboys’ defensive line rotation.

Bennett strengthens the chain of Dallas’ pass-rush packages while also giving the team a potential answer to dominant run games. He gives the defensive line the ability to stay dangerous even when Quinn or Lawrence are on the sidelines while also lightening the load on Collins.

Even though none of this guarantees that the Cowboys defense will become more effective, it does mean the Cowboys defense will have a little bit better shot to stop opposing offenses.

In a game that is often decided by the smallest of margins, that’s all you can really ask for.

Enjoy this post? More film studies:

-- Cowboys mock draft: What the film says about 2020 prospects Dallas should be targeting

-- Film room: Here’s what defensive lineman Michael Bennett brings to the Dallas Cowboys

-- Why DeMarcus Lawrence isn’t playing as poorly as his sack total suggests