While not the biggest name among the Cowboys' 2022 free agents, Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch is certainly a significant one. With his rookie deal now expired, how much should the former 1st-Round pick factor in the Dallas' future plans?
The last four years haven't been great for Vander Esch. After a brilliant rookie season in which he made the Pro Bowl, injuries held Leighton to just 19 games over the next two years. Even when on the field, Vander Esch looked hesitant and nothing like the budding star we enjoyed in 2018.
The struggles from 2019-2020 led the Cowboys to decline their 5th-year option on Leighton's contract. They could've secured his rights for 2022, albeit with a significant raise, but instead decided to let him prove himself in 2021 and then see where things stood.
Well now we're here and Vander Esch is still a big question mark. 2021 was a mixed bag and didn't definitively answer the question of his future with the team.
On the plus side, Leighton was healthy enough to play in all 18 games (including playoffs) and started all but Week 1. Over the last quarter of the regular season and against the 49ers in January, Vander Esch was playing his best ball since 2018 with impact plays and better overall consistency. He was easily the second-best LB on the roster after Micah Parsons.
But the gap between Vander Esch and Parsons was a wide one; Micah was a phenom all year long and Leighton only turned it on late. Was that last gasp enough to make the Cowboys want to keep him around?
On one hand, Dallas could certainly look into upgrading that other LB spot. With Vander Esch and Keanu Neal both free agents, Parsons is the only major player from last year currently under contract. And with neither Neal or Vander Esch really knocking their auditions out of the park, the opportunity to improve is there.
On the other hand, Vander Esch is still just 26 and was picking up steam by the end of the year. Between his injuries and the changes to Dallas' defensive scheme, it's reasonable to write off 2019-2020 and focus on the good things Leighton's showed as signs of future value.
Remember, the “Wolf Hunter” was an absolute stud in 2018. While perhaps not on the same level of Micah Parsons as a rookie, Vander Esch did make the Pro Bowl and had everyone excited about his long-term potential.
Because of those down years, Vander Esch is not entering the 2022 free agent market as a hot name. While some teams could still target him, Leighton shouldn't be commanding an exorbitant contract that the Cowboys would be unable to match.
Had they exercised the 5th-year option for 2022, Dallas would be paying Vander Esch a fully-guaranteed $9.1 million this year. That helps establish a ceiling for what Leighton is worth and should expect in his next deal, especially after a generally mediocre year in 2021.
Again, the Cowboys may feel they're better off finding a completely different linebacker from Vander Esch or Neal for next season. But given what they know about Leighton and his seeming lack of leverage in free agency, Dallas might be able to retain him at a relative bargain. They could offer him long-term security or a one-year “prove it” deal; whatever Vander Esch and his camp feels is best for his future.
Whether or not Leighton Vander Esch returns to the Cowboys in 2022 is one of many questions for this offseason. But it's one that seems very wide open at the moment; the circumstances are there for Dallas to go either way based on the money and positional need.
