Dallas Cowboys free agency: Matt Hennessy fills an open position on the roster
The Dallas Cowboys have added reinforcements to their offensive line by signing free agent Matt Hennessy to a one-year contract. Hennessy will present veteran depth at each heart and guard, successfully sliding into the versatile swing function beforehand occupied by Brock Hoffman. While the transfer may not spark a parade, having enough depth is essential, particularly for a Cowboys staff that has handled loads of accidents alongside the offensive line in recent times.
Hennessy first made a reputation for himself at Temple University, the place he was excess of only a physique in the trenches. He was a three-year starter and finally turned the first Owl to ever be a finalist for the Rimington Trophy, awarded to the finest heart in faculty soccer. His technical prowess was so superior that he earned an elite 92.9 total grade from Pro Football Focus throughout his closing collegiate season, permitting solely a single sack over his complete profession in Philadelphia. He left campus as a adorned technician with the sort of excessive soccer IQ that coaches dream about.
Transitioning to the skilled ranks, Hennessy was chosen by the Atlanta Falcons in the third spherical of the 2020 NFL Draft. He struggled his rookie season in a backup function behind Alex Mack, however it did not take lengthy for him to show that he belonged, as he began all 17 video games his second yr in the league. During that season, his run blocking effectivity was significantly spectacular, rating amongst the prime facilities in the league in a number of key metrics.
After a promising begin, accidents derailed his profession. He suffered a season-ending knee damage in coaching camp of 2023 and a again damage that restricted him to simply six video games in 2024 earlier than lastly returning wholesome final season. He performed in all 17 video games final yr with the 49ers, the place he did not enable a single sack or commit a single penalty. With unhealthy well being behind him, he has began reminding folks what made him so good popping out of faculty.
Hennessy’s main strengths lie in his mobility and lateral quickness, which permit him to excel in zone blocking schemes the place linemen want to succeed in troublesome angles. He performs with glorious leverage and understands how you can use a defender’s momentum towards them. He is the kind of participant who wins with brains and footwork reasonably than simply uncooked, brute pressure. His skill to diagnose a blitz earlier than it occurs is sharp, shortly placing himself in a fantastic position as soon as the ball is snapped.
On the flip aspect, he has confronted challenges with regards to pure energy. His smaller body for an NFL lineman can result in him being pushed again by the league’s most elite nostril tackles. He does not have the arm size to maintain defenders from attending to his chest, making him inclined to passing rushes at instances. And we would be remiss to say that his current damage historical past is not a little bit of a priority that the Cowboys’ medical employees will probably be watching carefully.
Hennessy is a hand-in-glove match for Klayton Adams’ high-energy hole scheme, which depends on the actual kind of pulling athleticism he showcased throughout his elite run-blocking seasons in Atlanta. His skill to create violence in house matches Adams’ philosophy of aggressive, downhill soccer that revitalized the Cowboys’ floor recreation final season. By offering high-level depth at each heart and guard, Hennessy provides the unit a flexible insurance coverage coverage that will not skip a beat if the damage bug bites the inside, supplied he isn’t additionally bitten. It’s a swipe-right match because it provides the teaching employees one other hit-and-run lineman who treats a lead block like a private vendetta.
The Cowboys are getting a sensible, skilled, and versatile lineman who can stabilize the inside roster if a starter goes down. He brings a excessive degree of collegiate pedigree and confirmed NFL beginning expertise to a staff that values flexibility upfront. If he can keep wholesome, he supplies an enormous improve to the bench depth at a really affordable value. At the very least, he provides the Dallas teaching employees peace of thoughts realizing they’ve a man who can step in and supply them on the spot insurance coverage.
