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Marshawn Kneeland

Cowboys Designate Brandin Cooks, Marshawn Kneeland For Return

November 20th, 2024 at 5:15pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

5:15pm: McCarthy confirmed that Bell will undergo surgery on his left shoulder, per Archer.

4:27pm: The Cowboys have designated wide receiver Brandin Cooks and defensive end Marshawn Kneeland to return from injured reserve, per a team announcement.

Cooks landed on IR in early October with an infection resulting from a procedure on his injured knee, while Kneeland required surgery for a partially-torn lateral meniscus around the same time. Both players are now eligible to return to practice. Once they do, they have three weeks before they must be activated to the 53-man roster or revert to season-ending IR.

Cooks disappointed to start his second year in Dallas, catching just nine of 19 targets for 91 yards in four games. Jalen Tolbert and Kavontae Turpin have since surpassed the veteran in yards-per-game, so he may see a reduced role when he returns.

Kneeland, the 56th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, played in just five regular season games with 10 tackles and zero sacks before he injured his knee. Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence went down around the same time, severely handicapping Dallas’ edge rotation over the last month. Parsons played in Weeks 10 and 11, but Lawrence remains on injured reserve, so Kneeland could be in line for expanded opportunities if he beats his veteran teammate back to the field.

Head coach Mike McCarthy also mentioned offensive lineman Chuma Edoga as a candidate to practice this week, per WFAA’s Ed Werner. Edoga was designated for return on November 13, but has yet to practice since injuring his toe in the preseason. McCarthy added that tight end Jake Ferguson is still progressing through concussion protocol.

The Cowboys will be without safety and core special teams contributor Markquese Bell for the rest of the season, per ESPN’s Todd Archer. Bell dislocated his shoulder in Week 11 and could need surgery, which will land him on injured reserve in the coming days.

Cowboys’ Marshawn Kneeland Avoids ACL Tear, Expected To Return This Season

October 9th, 2024 at 1:17pm CST by Sam Robinson

OCTOBER 9: As could be expected, Kneeland is landing on IR. The Cowboys officially moved the rookie defensive end to the injured list Wednesday, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. Considering the timetable here, Kneeland being off Dallas’ 53-man roster makes sense. He and Lawrence’s timetables point to returns sometime in November.

OCTOBER 7: Managing to beat the Steelers despite missing their top four defensive ends, the Cowboys also received word the most recent of those injuries — to rookie Marshawn Kneeland — is not as severe as initial fears indicated.

Carted off early in Dallas’ Sunday-night win, Kneeland did not sustain an ACL tear. The second-round pick is expected to return later this season, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. Kneeland will miss time, however, as he suffered a partially torn lateral meniscus. A surgery is on tap, but this damage will not re-route the promising player on the level an ACL tear would have.

Kneeland is not undergoing a full meniscus repair, Rapoport adds, as that would sideline the Western Michigan alum for the season’s remainder. Rather, this is a meniscus trim. An IR move may still be in the cards, but it would be of the IR-return variety.IR probably will be the course the Cowboys take, as ESPN.com’s Todd Archer notes this procedure will lead to a four- to six-week recovery timetable.

The Cowboys have DeMarcus Lawrence on IR, though he is expected back while Sam Williams is out for the season due to the ACL tear he sustained this summer. Micah Parsons is week to week with his high ankle sprain, creating significant issues for Mike Zimmer‘s unit.

Down Parsons and Lawrence for the Pittsburgh matchup, Dallas opted for a low-key reinforcement strategy. The team added K.J. Henry off the Bengals’ practice squad. Chauncey Golston started opposite Kneeland, while Tyrus Wheat and Carl Lawson played regularly following Kneeland’s injury. Parsons has not been ruled out for Week 6, but with Dallas’ bye coming in Week 7, the team opting for caution regarding its best player would make sense.

Expected to mix in behind Parsons, Lawrence and Williams, Kneeland came to Dallas after meeting with roughly half the NFL on “30” visits. Tallying low sack totals at Western Michigan (fewer than five in each of his four seasons at the MAC program), Kneeland nevertheless impressed on the pre-draft circuit. He tallied 26 tackles for loss from 2021-23 and became a more prominent Cowboys piece following Williams’ injury.

It will be interesting to see how the Cowboys go about replacing their latest injured D-end cog, but Kneeland and Lawrence’s return windows are comparable. A Lisfranc injury will sideline Lawrence between four and eight weeks. It is possible Parsons will have both his sidekicks back at some point in November. Absent a Parsons return in Week 6, the Cowboys will need to get by — absent a higher-profile acquisition — with a skeleton crew against the Lions.

Latest On Cowboys DE Marshawn Kneeland

July 8th, 2024 at 12:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Cowboys have Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence atop the edge rush depth chart, but the team has made recent draft investments at the position to add complementary options behind them. That effort included the selection of Marshawn Kneeland this spring.

Dallas added Kneeland in the second round of April’s draft, matching the Round 2 selection of Sam Williams in 2022. The latter has served in a rotational capacity to date, but he could take on an increased workload this season. With Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler having followed Dan Quinn from Dallas to Washington, the defensive end pecking order will look somewhat different in 2024.

That should open up playing time for Kneeland in a depth capacity. The Western Michigan product is fourth on the depth chart behind Parsons, Lawrence and Williams, Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News writes. That comes as little surprise given his inexperience, although his college success suggests he could handle at least an early-down role during his rookie campaign. Kneeland racked up 148 tackles (including 27.5 for loss) between 2020 and ’23 with the Mustangs.

That stretch included relatively underwhelming sack production, however. Kneeland totaled 13 sacks in his college career, and his largest statistical outputs came in 2021 and ’23 with 4.5. The 6-3, 267-pounder profiles as a strong run defender and carrying that skillset over to the NFL level should allow him to carve out a rotational role in certain defensive packages.

Lawrence is entering the final year of his contract, while Parsons is on the books through 2025 (although he is one of multiple high-profile extension priorities for the Cowboys). Williams has two years remaining on his rookie contract, and a strong showing this season could put him on the radar for an extension keeping him in the fold for years to come. Kneeland has plenty of time to establish himself as a regular contributor with the Cowboys, but for the time being he is not in line for a heavy workload.

NFL Contract Details: Rookies, Andrews, Shepard

June 15th, 2024 at 5:57pm CST by Ely Allen

Normally, the details of rookie contract signings don’t draw much note from the media. Most facets of the rookie contract are not up for negotiation, so by the book numbers don’t tend to interest the NFL world. Lately, though, NFL teams have gotten creative with how they deal with rookie deals, usually rewarding first- and second-round picks with guaranteed money.

Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 noted three second-round picks whose deals were reported recently. New Commanders cornerback Mike Sainristil out of Michigan’s rookie deal will see the base salaries of his 2024 and 2025 seasons fully guaranteed and $897K of $1.5MM guaranteed from his 2026 salary. Dolphins rookie offensive tackle Patrick Paul from Houston will see similar guarantees. All of his base salary for 2024 and 2025 will be guaranteed along with $413K of his 2026 salary worth $1.42MM. Lastly, Cowboys rookie pass rusher out of Western Michigan, Marshawn Kneeland, will see his first two years fully guaranteed, as well. Kneeland will also see $322K of his 2026 base salary (worth a total of $1.42MM) guaranteed.

Here are some other details from recent contracts around the NFL:

  • We recently saw the Patriots grant center David Andrews a raise in a new extension. Ben Volin of the Boston Globe gives us further details on the new contract. He notes that Andrews was guaranteed $1.75MM of his $5MM for 2024. He also reports that the deal will reduce Andrews’ cap impact next year from $8.43MM to $6.68MM.
  • The Buccaneers recently signed former Giants receiver Sterling Shepard to a one-year, $1.38MM deal. Wilson of KPRC2 tells us that Shepard will be able to earn a $50K roster bonus if he’s on the active roster by Week 1 of the season. He’ll also have the opportunity to earn an additional $6,911 per game in active roster bonuses for a potential season total of $117,500.

Cowboys Sign DE Marshawn Kneeland, Complete Draft Class

June 11th, 2024 at 5:47pm CST by Ben Levine

The Cowboys have completed their draft class signings. The team announced that they’ve signed second-round defensive end Marshawn Kneeland.

The defensive lineman spent five years at Western Michigan, collecting 148 tackles, 27.5 tackles for loss, and 13 sacks. He earned second-team All-MAC honors this past season after setting career-highs in tackles (57) and sacks (4.5). That performance helped make him the 56th-overall pick, with Kneeland representing the sixth defensive end off the board.

With Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence in place, the Cowboys won’t need to lean on the rookie in 2024. Kneeland will likely be competing with 2022 second-round pick Sam Williams for any leftover snaps.

Kneeland was the last of the Cowboys’ eight draft picks to sign. The rest of the team’s draft class includes:

Draft OL Rumors: Fashanu, Latham, Fautanu, Buccaneers

April 20th, 2024 at 5:58pm CST by Ely Allen

Some teams in the NFL are known for drafting the best player on the board in their draft slot regardless of position. Others have made a reputation for drafting players at a position of need regardless of value. The Saints are a team that could end up in the best of both worlds later this month, according to Jason La Canfora of The Washington Post.

At 14th overall, the Saints could be in position to take a player at a huge position of need. La Canfora informs us that multiple general managers in the league have the sense that New Orleans is “all about finding players to fill immediate starting needs.” With offensive line as a big position of need at the moment, Penn State offensive tackle Olu Fashanu has been repeatedly linked to the Saints.

Drafting Fashanu at No. 14 overall would hardly be considered a reach. Fashanu projects as a prototypical left tackle and, in most rankings, ranks as the draft’s second-best tackle prospect behind Notre Dame’s Joe Alt. Getting the OT2 on the board at 14th would be a huge win for the Saints, especially if Alt goes to the Chargers at No. 5, as many suspect. If someone between the Chargers and Saints selects Fashanu, look to Alabama tackle JC Latham as another potential target in New Orleans.

Here are a few other rumors concerning the offensive line class of the 2024 NFL Draft:

  • While we mentioned that most rankings see Fashanu as the OT2 in this year’s draft, some have pegged Latham in that draft slot. According to Peter Schrager of NFL Network, some teams like Latham so much that he could be taken as the second offensive tackle off the board. Alabama hasn’t had the best recent history producing offensive tackles under Nick Saban. Evan Neal, Alex Leatherwood, Jedrick Wills, and Jonah Williams all serve as recent examples who have failed to live up to their draft stock. Some see Latham projecting best as a guard at the next level, as he’ll need to continue improving to play tackle in the NFL. If those teams that see him as the second-best tackle in the draft are right, though, Latham could break recent trends for the Crimson Tide.
  • Washington offensive line prospect Troy Fautanu is another player that splits teams on where he will play at the next level. While many see him projecting as an interior lineman in the NFL (the best interior lineman in this year’s draft according to some), Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post tells us that some scouts are starting to believe he can play tackle as a pro, like he did for the Huskies. He has the talent and potential to play any position on NFL offensive lines. As we’ve reported, so far, he has visited the Bengals, Ravens, Jaguars, Steelers Eagles, and Jets.
  • One team who has been labeled as a squad looking to add to the trenches is the Buccaneers. According to ESPN’s Jenna Laine, Tampa Bay is looking to upgrade at guard, center, and outside linebacker. With the 26th pick in the draft, the Buccaneers can expect to see players like Arizona’s Jordan Morgan and Kansas State’s Cooper Beebe available at guard and, perhaps, Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson at center. The top tier of pass rushers should be long gone, but players like UCLA’s Laiatu Latu, Penn State’s Chop Robinson, Western Michigan’s Marshawn Kneeland, and Missouri’s Darius Robinson could be available late in the first round.

DL Marshawn Kneeland Adds Six Pre-Draft Visits, To Close With 16

April 15th, 2024 at 6:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

As Marshawn Kneeland logs a spring flight schedule that would potentially impress George Clooney’s Up in the Air protagonist, the Western Michigan alum is viewed as a rising prospect ahead of the draft.

The MAC product has scheduled pre-draft visits with half the NFL. His Chiefs, Colts, Commanders, Jaguars, Jets, Saints and Vikings meetings became known weeks ago, but other teams have since entered the fray. The Buccaneers, Panthers and Texans met with the edge rusher prospect last week, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo. Not stopping there, Kneeland also has meetings scheduled with the Bills, Lions and Packers, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport adds.

More teams may have stepped in here, with Garafolo indicating Kneeland booked 16 “30” visits during one of the busiest pre-draft itineraries in recent NFL history. Teams have until Wednesday to conduct “30” visits, and Kneeland will presumably be setting foot in a number of new cities before that deadline arrives.

Generally, prospects with notable questions generate the most visits. Kneeland has become a coveted D-end prospect despite playing at a mid-major program and never topping 4.5 sacks in a season. But coaches are certainly intrigued by the versatile performer. As ESPN.com’s Matt Miller points out, Kneeland generated 36 pressures last season. The 6-foot-3, 267-pound edge player posted 26 tackles for loss from 2021-23, and Miller adds his profile has reached the point where a fall out of the top 50 is unlikely.

Kneeland has generated this profile despite never being a first-team All-MAC performer; though, he did play in only nine games as a senior. His mileage count this spring has reflected the curiosity his profile brings. For the teams that do not land a player on the Dallas Turner–Jared Verse–Laiatu Latu level, someone like Kneeland — who profiles as more of a power player capable of sliding inside situationally — would stand to be appealing on Day 2.

Draft Notes: Barton, ’30’ Visits, Wilson

April 1st, 2024 at 12:47pm CST by Adam La Rose

The 2024 tackle class has drawn rave reviews in the lead-in to this month’s draft, but Graham Barton is among those expected to play on the inside upon entering the NFL. The Duke product has nevertheless helped his draft stock recently.

Barton was already gaining steam as a rising prospect before his Pro Day, as noted by ESPN’s Jordan Reid. He battled injuries during the 2023 season and was forced to miss the Senior Bowl as a result, but the two-time All-American managed to take part in the Blue Devils’ Pro Day last week. Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda reports Barton’s performance was highly impressive, and it secured his status as a Day 1 prospect.

Following up on the strong workout, Reid notes Barton could now work his way into the top 15 come draft night. Many NFL teams view the first-team All-ACC selection as a center, but he could also see time at guard at the pro level. Wherever he lines up as a rookie, Barton will face high expectations and no doubt draw the attention of many teams near the top of the order in need of reinforcements up front.

Here are some other draft-related notes from around the NFL:

  • Missouri’s Darius Robinson has also seen his stock rise in the wake of the Senior Bowl, and NFL teams are keeping an eye on him. The Steelers recently hosted him on a ’30’ visit, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. He adds Robinson has 20 meetings with teams on the books, making him one of several potential first-rounders who will remain busy as the draft approaches. O-lineman Taliese Fuaga is among the prospects who also met with the Steelers, as noted by Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  • Staying in Pennsylvania, the Eagles hosted Laiatu Latu on a ’30’ visit, Geoff Mosher of Inside the Birds reports. The UCLA product is one of the best edge rushers in the 2024 class, having earned Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2023. His college resume includes a medical retirement, however, so there will be risk involved in selecting him. Philadelphia and all other prospective suitors will no doubt have a vested interest in Latu’s medical examinations. The Eagles traded Haason Reddick to the Jets, creating the need for a new investment along the edge.
  • The inside linebacker class is not believed to have a Day 1 prospect, but Edgerrin Cooper is among the top options teams will have to choose from. The Texas A&M product had a strong Pro Day showing, and he has a number of ’30’ visits lined up. Per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, the list of interested teams includes the Texans, Eagles, Cowboys, Panthers, Chargers and Buccaneers. Cooper was a consensus All-American in 2023 after racking up 84 tackles (including 17 for loss), eight sacks and a pair of forced fumbles.
  • Pittsburgh, Dallas, Carolina and Tampa Bay are among the teams also set to host Western Kentucky wideout Malachi Corley, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo notes. Garafolo adds the Browns, Ravens, Seahawks and 49ers have also booked a visit with the small school standout. Corley is a member of a very deep receiver class, but his 180 catches, 2,279 yards and 22 touchdowns over the past two seasons along with a strong pre-draft process has put him firmly on the draft radar.
  • Marshawn Kneeland has also drawn considerable pre-draft attention. The Western Michigan defensive end has either already met with (or plans to visit) the Eagles along with the Chiefs, Saints, Jaguars, Jets, Vikings, Colts and Commanders, per Pauline. Kneeland spent four years with the MAC program, totaling 12.5 sacks and 28 tackles for loss while establishing himself as a power rusher and strong run defender.
  • While a number of prospects have helped their stock recently, the opposite is of course true of others. Michigan receiver Roman Wilson appears to have fallen into the latter category, per ESPN’s Matt Miller. He notes Wilson is in danger of falling to the late second round or early in the third, something which could become increasingly possible if a run on the draft’s other pass-catchers takes place. Wilson averaged 16.4 yards per catch and scored 12 touchdowns on a run-heavy Wolverines offense last season, but his size (6-0, 180) and mediocre statistics from his three other campaigns could make him less appealing than other WR options.