The Dallas Cowboys' transition from Rob Ryan's 3-4 defensive scheme to new coordinator Monte Kiffin's Tampa 2 setup has cost them a talented young defensive lineman.
The team has shipped Sean Lissemore to the San Diego Chargers in exchange for a 2015 seventh-round draft pick, according to the Cowboys' official website. Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com first reported the trade.
Dallas locked up Lissemore, a high-motor defensive end capable of moonlighting at nose tackle, to a three-year, $6 million contract extension last September. One undisclosed agent opined at the time that setting Lissemore's salary at $2 million annually was a "steal" for the Cowboys.
After a promising season in 2011, Lissemore's play dropped off last season, due in large part to a mid-season high ankle sprain.
For the price tag, this is a sensible acquisition by Chargers general manager Tom Telesco. While Lissemore is ill-suited for the Tampa 2, he's an ideal fit for Chargers defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano's 3-4 system as a top-notch backup to "Making the Leap" candidatesCorey Liuget and Kendall Reyes.
The Cowboys, meanwhile, are going to have a devil of a time stopping the run with so many holes on their own defensive line.
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