The linebackers check in as the second-weakest position group on this Dallas Cowboys roster.
As training camp approaches, the most fundamental question remains unanswered: Who’s starting? Neither of last year’s starters will open Week 1—Eric Kendricks is gone, and DeMarvion Overshown is recovering from ACL surgery. Micah Parsons may get listed at linebacker, but he’s an edge rusher, period. He also doesn’t have a new contract yet…
Kenneth Murray Jr. and Jack Sanborn are offseason additions, but there’s a reason their previous teams let them go. Damone Clark hasn’t lived up to his potential coming out of LSU. And Marist Liafau, who showed flashes as a rookie, isn’t a true anchor yet.
Matt Eberflus will need to work some magic with this group to prevent them from being a repeat liability.
Dallas Cowboys Position Group Rankings: Linebackers
Kenneth Murray And Jack Sanborn: The Veteran Acquisitions
Murray—a former first-round pick—comes to Dallas on his third team in six years. He’s plenty athletic, but his film shows the same deficiencies that have plagued him his whole career: slow play recognition, getting washed out of run fits, and inconsistent tackling. He’s decent as a pass rusher, but if you’re counting on him to anchor the second level, good luck. Dallas struggled against the run last year, and Murray won’t fix that.
Jack Sanborn is a Matt Eberflus success story. Undrafted in 2022, he was a revelation as a rookie but never quite replicated that production over the next two seasons. After logging 331 and 412 snaps in 2022 and 2023, respectively, that number dropped to just 235 last year. He has familiarity with Eberflus’ scheme from his time in Chicago, but that only goes so far. Sanborn plays hard and gets to the ball carrier, but there’s a reason the Bears let him walk.
Both players could very well end up starting simply because of injury and the lack of proven depth behind them. If Dallas expects this new duo to fix its porous run defense, they’re setting themselves up for disappointment.
The In-House Question Marks
DeMarvion Overshown is the most exciting linebacker on the roster. The problem is he hasn’t been healthy enough. Overshown lost his rookie season to a preseason ACL tear and half of his sophomore campaign to the same injury. His speed and range elevate this groups ceiling, but counting on him for meaningful snaps early in the season is wishful thinking. Even if he’s back earlier than expected, getting back to his true form is probably a year away. He’ll be one of the most-watched rehab stories at camp, but until he’s cleared, he’s just potential on the shelf.
Marist Liafau showed promise as a rookie and came on strong to close the season. He even pushed out Damone Clark and took the majority of the snaps after Overshown went down. However, his playstyle can be overly aggressive, leading to missed tackles and blown assignments. He has the ability to be a solid starter, but like most of this unit, he struggled in the run game. He will need to shore that up if he wants a bigger role.
The aforementioned Clark hasn’t been terrible, but he hasn’t lived up to his potential coming out of LSU either. He recorded over 100 tackles in 2023, but clearly did not see eye-to-eye with Mike Zimmer last year and faded into the background, even after Overshown’s injury. The talent is there, but the question is, how many more chances will he get?
Too Many Questions, Not Enough Answers For The Dallas Cowboys Linebackers
Linebacker narrowly edges out running back for weakest position group on the Cowboys’ roster. There’s athleticism and potential, but far too many questions and not enough proven answers. Murray and Sanborn are stopgaps, and there’s a hard cap on what anyone can reasonably expect from them. Overshown could be special—and he’s already a fan favorite—but nobody knows when he’ll be back or how he’ll look when that happens. Clark and Liafau will battle for snaps, but neither has shown they can anchor a defense, especially against the run.
For now, Dallas needs this group to play above its resume, or pray the defensive line keeps everything clean up front. If not, the run defense will be bad again. And the Dallas Cowboys linebackers will stay a liability, just like last season.
Main Image: Junfu Han – USA Today Sports
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