Coming into the 2026 offseason the linebacker place in Dallas was among the many greatest downside on the Cowboys roster. To the shock of some, the Cowboys went by means of free company and evening one of many 2026 NFL draft with out addressing the linebacker place. On day two of the draft, the Cowboys added some new blood to the linebacker room by buying and selling for San Francisco 49ers LB Dee Winters and drafting Michigan LB/EDGE Jaishawn Barham within the third spherical.
Whereas many nonetheless assume that is probably not sufficient, there’s motive to consider they are going to be simply nice there. Not like different positions on protection, linebacker play within the NFL has so much to do with what goes in entrance of you. If the line of defense is enjoying task sound soccer and dealing with their blocks, life will get so much simpler for the second-level defenders filling holes and making tackles.
In recent times. the Cowboys line of defense was constructed on creating chaos. Underneath Matt Eberflus and Dan Quinn, the job of the inside line of defense was extra about capturing gaps, creating unfavorable performs, and stepping into the backfield in a rush. That boom-or-bust type of protection may be very efficient when it really works, and really ineffective when it doesn’t.
In 2026, early indicators level to this protection enjoying a lot cleaner soccer up entrance with their newly constructed protection. Whereas the Cowboys protection will nonetheless wish to create unfavorable performs, the theme could also be extra targeted on creating much less explosive performs for opposing offenses.
Linebackers Kenneth Murray, Jack Sanborn, and even DeMarvion Overshown have been closely scrutinized final season, and whereas that unit wanted to play higher, it wasn’t all on them. Not solely did the linebacker unit enhance in 2026, however the protection as an entire appears to be extra purchased in on working as a unit.
With the line of defense anticipated to focus extra on leveraging their hole, that ought to permit these linebackers to play cleaner in between the tackles and use their pace and explosiveness to make tackles for restricted positive aspects on the sting. That in itself might have this linebacker group play properly above the expectation and assist restrict large performs by opposing offenses all through the common season.
If Overshown is ready to keep wholesome, Winters is ready to be the participant he was on movie in 2025, and Barham makes an affect in 12 months one, this unit might shock many, which might be a giant win for the Cowboys protection.
