The Dallas Cowboys' defense was dealt a major blow Tuesday when the NFL suspended Randy Gregory indefinitely. While it's not out of the realm of possibility that Gregory is somehow reinstated before or during next season, there's no way the Cowboys can count on that. They would be wise to plan for life without Gregory by looking for a replacement at the right defensive end position.

Without a first-round pick, it's going to be tough for the Cowboys to find a pass rusher capable of making an immediate impact on Day 2 or 3 of the NFL draft, so they should turn their attention to free agency.

Before you get too excited, the Cowboys aren't likely to pay big money to a defensive end in free agency, especially with DeMarcus Lawrence still needing a new contract. The team has to pay too many of its own players to afford a new top-flight defensive end. So don't count on any of the top free-agent pass rushers like Ezekiel Ansah, Trey Flowers, Jadeveon Clowney or Brandon Graham to dawn a star on their helmet anytime soon.

Luckily for the Cowboys, there is still value to be had on the edge rusher market. Here are three great free-agent candidates to replace Gregory (their previous team in parenthesis):

Shaquil Barrett(Denver Broncos)

The best value on the market is Shaquil Barrett, who has been stuck behind the likes of Von Miller, DeMarcus Ware

Bradley Chubb during his five seasons in Denver.

During those five seasons, the former undrafted free agent established himself as one of the best reserve edge defenders in the NFL, displaying a well-developed pass-rush ability while thriving against the run.

Fans should remember Barrett well from the Cowboys' Week 2 loss to the Broncos in 2017. In that game, Barrett accumulated six hurries and two quarterback hits (eight total pressures), besting left tackle Tyron Smith on multiple occasions.

As a pass rusher, Barrett is an effective hand fighter who uses a variety of swipes and chops to defeat a blocker's hands or shorten the edge. He does an excellent job of attacking leverage points (wrists) to clear contact and keep himself clean. Barrett isn't an elite athlete, but he possesses enough burst and bend to threaten the edge track with speed.

Barrett's best trait as a pass rusher is his ability to alter speeds with sudden bursts inside or outside of blocks. He loves to use foot fire to freeze or slow an offensive tackle's feet, giving him the ability to outpace the block with acceleration around the edge.

Against the run, Barrett displays high-level hand technique to defeat blocks by offensive tackles and tight ends. He is a disciplined player who understands how to execute his assignments given the play call.

The biggest thing working against a potential Barrett signing with the Cowboys is his lack of length. They value length in their defensive ends, and his arms measure in at just 32 1/4 inches -- a full inch shorter than the defensive ends on the Cowboys' roster last season.

Stuck behind All-Pros for the entirety of his career, Barrett has never been able to carve out more than a reserve role, but he's talented enough to be a full-time starter and should see his production increase once he sees more snaps.

This could actually play in the Cowboys' favor in free agency, as Barrett's lack of production will certainly put a cap on the amount of money he'll receive on the open market. Because of that, the Cowboys could get a 26-year-old starting-caliber edge defender without breaking the bank.

As long as Dallas can come to grips with Barrett's transition to defensive end and lack of length, he would be the ideal candidate to replace Gregory. He doesn't have Gregory's pass-rush potential, but he's capable in that respect while much more potent against the run.

Dion Jordan(Seattle Seahawks)

Dion Jordan has overcome his fair share of hurdles to reach this point.

Like Gregory, Jordan has had a number of run-ins with the league's substance abuse policy, including a yearlong suspension in 2015. He was conditionally reinstated in 2016 but didn't play a down. He was then released in March 2017 and subsequently signed by the Seahawks.

In his two seasons with Seattle, Jordan avoided missteps with the league while flashing the elite talent that made him the No. 3 overall pick in the 2013 draft. Injuries, however, limited him to just 465 total snaps. With those snaps, Jordan recorded 30 total pressures and 5.5 sacks. In 2017, Jordan had 12 pressures on just 60 pass-rush snaps according to Pro Football Focus, meaning he recorded

on one out of every five pass-rush reps -- an incredible pressure rate over a five-game span.

And like Barrett, Jordan could be one of the better values on the open market.

Entering the league at 6-foot-6, 248 pounds with nearly 34-inch arms, Jordan has bulked up to 284 pounds, which sapped some of his athleticism but added a ton of power to his game. Here's a great example of that:

Jordan is aligned with an outside shade over Kansas City Chiefs left tackle Eric Fisher. Once the ball is snapped, Jordan steps down the line of scrimmage, forcing Fisher to react inside. After stepping inside, Jordan then expands vertically as a well-placed strike jolts Fisher on contact.

Jordan's initial strike causes Fisher to lose balance, opening the tackle's chest for a well-placed long arm that Jordan uses to drive him into Patrick Mahomes' lap. From there, Jordan easily sheds Fisher's block and brings the MVP quarterback down for the sack.

Note how Jordan plays with proper leverage (hands above eyes) when utilizing the long arm. It enables him to maximize his power output while eliminating Fisher's ability to effectively anchor.

The biggest issue plaguing Jordan as a pass rusher is his tendency to rush to contact, which makes sense given his newfound power and incredibly long arms. He would be wise to utilize more chops and swipes to clear contact when rushing off the edge. This will enable Jordan to occasionally generate pressure quicker while also making him more unpredictable as a pass rusher, which should increase the potency of his power rushes.

As a run defender, Jordan's length and strength aid in his ability to set a strong edge. He still needs to work on his ability to shed blocks cleanly, but there's a lot to like about the 28-year-old's ability against the run.

Similar to Barrett, Jordan has largely been utilized in a reserve role, putting a cap on his ability to produce. It would be interesting to see how much more productive he can be with increased usage.

With more snaps, Jordan could become a 6-8 sacks kind of player while showing well against the run.

He fits nicely into the archetype of free agents the Cowboys have pursued in recent years. Secondary coach Kris Richard was Jordan's defensive coordinator with Seattle in 2017, so the Cowboys should have great intel into how his personality and skill set would mesh with the current roster.

Jordan will be cost-effective and could provide value that exceeds the money necessary to sign him. While Barrett may be the best option to replace Gregory, Jordan may be the most likely target.

Preston Smith(Washington Redskins)

Of the players highlighted in this piece, Preston Smith is the one who has the best chance to be priced out of the Cowboys' range. He has two eight-sack seasons under his belt, and despite recording just four in 2018, he set a career high in pressures with 53 -- ranking 23rd among edge defenders according to PFF.

Smith, like Barrett, has played primarily at outside linebacker in Washington's 3-4 defense, but his play style and temperament lend themselves well to putting a hand in the dirt as a defensive end in the Cowboys' 4-3 base defense.

After seeing him twice a season for the past four years, Cowboys fans should be intimately familiar with Smith's enticing skill set. In the Week 12 meeting with Washington last season, Smith recorded five total pressures and 1.5 sacks. He was a constant nuisance for the Dallas offense, taking full advantage of Cameron Fleming starting at left tackle.

Listed at 6-foot-5, 265 pounds with 34-inch arms, Smith has prototypical size and well-rounded athleticism. He's not elite in any category, but he has good enough burst along with plus change-of-direction ability.

As a pass rusher, Smith uses effective and powerful hands to best offensive tackles on the edge. He loves to use his power to play through a blocker's pads, employing long arms and bull rushes to affect the balance and test the anchors of blockers on the edge. He also possesses the athleticism and hand timing to hand-fight and speed skate around the corner.

The biggest issue facing Smith is the fact that his effectiveness and motor tend to wane from game to game, making his performance level unpredictable at times.

But when he's on, he's one of the better young pass rushers in the league and capable of putting up double-digit sacks.

Again, because of Smith's noted production since entering the league, there's a decent chance he ends up more being expensive than the Cowboys are willing to pay. But if the money is close, they would be wise to target the 26-year-old. Not only would he improve the Cowboys' defense, but his absence would weaken Washington's, which is a plus.

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