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Wednesday, November 12, 1997

What impact might Leon Lett have on '97 season

By MIKE BALDWIN

The Daily Oklahoman

IRVING, Texas - What was months away is now weeks away. It's certainly close enough to examine the impact Leon Lett might have on the 1997 season.

The Dallas Cowboys' talented defensive tackle was having an All-Pro season last year when NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue announced Dec. 3 that Lett would be suspended for one year for a repeated violation of the league's substance abuse policy.

League officials can't comment on players who are suspended, but Lett has reapplied for reinstatement. The Cowboys are confident Lett will return for their final three games.

"I haven't seen him in 10 months, but I understand he's in good shape and plays a lot of basketball," coach Barry Switzer said Tuesday.

Lett, 29, is one of the NFL's premier defensive tackles when he absorbs the customary week-to-week pounding. What would he be like if he began the final month of the season fresh?

"It's unfathomable," said defensive tackle Chad Hennings. "I hope he comes in with the attitude that he can contribute and show everybody he's the Leon Lett of old. I've talked to him, and he looks great ... With me chomping at the bit for four weeks (due to injury), you can imagine how he feels."

Even if he's reinstated for the Dec. 8 Monday night home game against Carolina, Lett, 6-6, 295, hasn't played football in a year.

"I think he'd step in and be a force right away," Switzer said. "He's played in our scheme, he knows our system. Practice is important, but when you play at a level like he can play, it's just like Deion (Sanders) playing baseball and then coming in to play cornerback. I think Leon Lett can squat down at defensive tackle and be a force the first play."

Lett was named to the Pro Bowl in 1994 and most likely would have been named to the team the past two years if not for drug suspensions. An unheralded seventh-round draft pick out of Emporia State in 1991, Lett became a full-time starter in 1994.

"He's makes a big difference in two ways," said defensive coordinator Dave Campo. "No. 1, he's a real good player against the run. He can get off blocks and make plays. He's very physical and won't get knocked out of there. (No. 2) He's just one of those rare players that offenses often have to double-team."

If Lett returns, as expected, the Cowboys arguably have the NFL's best depth at defensive tackle. Hennings and Lett would start, allowing 12-year veteran Tony Casillas and rookie Antonio Anderson to come off the bench for 15 to 20 plays a game. It would also allow Campo to alter his defensive schemes.

"We could play a little more zone, which could lead to possibly having more interceptions," Campo said. "There are a number of things we can do. Because of his athletic ability, offenses have to account for him. When they double-team Leon, it frees up our other guys. We haven't had that situation because we don't have a dominating guy like that."

Dallas (5-5) most likely needs to win five of its final six games to reach the playoffs. Lett's return would be meaningless if the Cowboys don't win at least two of their next three games against the Redskins, Packers and Oilers.

The Cowboys have the No. 2-ranked defense without Lett, who led the team with seven tackles for a loss last season.

"(Lett) will upgrade our defense tremendously, and that's saying something because our guys have played well all year long," said quarterback Troy Aikman. "If they can do that, and offensively we can continue to put up a performance like we had (Sunday), then we'll win a lot of games."

(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.)