Don’t rule out Dallas adding veteran help at linebacker

The 2023 version of the Dallas Cowboys will field one of their most talented and competitive teams in recent memory.

They have very few weak spots on the roster, but someone needs point out those few weaknesses, and how they could derail the team.

Previously, I wrote about how the offensive line is one misfortune away from disaster, and how the tight end room could end up being one of the worst in the league.

Today, we move to the other side of the ball, and discuss what I think is the only position group that could pose a weakness for the defense: Linebacker.

The Cowboys are incredibly deep at all positions on the defensive side of the ball except for linebacker.

Leighton Vander Esch is the only linebacker on the depth chart who has more than 10 games worth of experience playing on defense.

If the ball bounces the wrong way for the Cowboys this season, they could find themselves scrambling for linebacker help.

Cowboys LB Leighton Vander-Esch

Leighton Vander Esch Reaggravates His Neck Injury

Dallas drafted Leighton Vander Esch with the 19th overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft.

He immediately made an impact, earning Pro Bowl honors his rookie season with 140 combined tackles and two interceptions.

LVE would then go on to miss 13 games over the next two seasons, dealing with neck stiffness.

That neck stiffness would end up being diagnosed as a nerve problem.

Eventually a final diagnosis of spinal stenosis was revealed, and LVE would require surgery to repair.

Forget about football for a moment and think of LVE simply as a human being.

That injury and subsequent surgery would leave question marks about whether he would ever play football again, but also if it would affect his quality of life.

After playing a full season in 2021, Dallas declined LVE’s fifth year option on his rookie contract, throwing him into free agency.

As it turns out, it was just a savvy financial move, as Dallas had every intention of re-signing him.

They just didn’t want to pay that bloated fifth year salary to a player with such serious neck injury concerns.

LVE appeared to be back to his normal, aggressive style of play that persuaded Dallas to draft him in the first place.

Week 15 came along, and LVE left a game versus the Jacksonville Jaguars with a neck injury eventually diagnosed as a stinger.

He missed the last three games of the regular season before returning to play in the playoffs.

After nearly a full two seasons without any neck issues, the Jaguars game just proves that LVE is one play away from being out of the lineup.

That would leave Dallas with only a stable of young, inexperienced players to fill out the second level of the defense.

Cowboys LB Damone Clark

Damone Clark’s Development Stalls

Dan Quinn’s base defense is a little unconventional.

His favorite formation to deploy is the Big Nickel, a 4-2-5 alignment that features a third safety instead of a third cornerback.

That third safety is usually lined up near the line of scrimmage, either in run support or in coverage on the running back or tight end.

The Cowboys may be one of the only teams in the league that fields less than three linebackers the majority of the time.

As it’s currently projected, second year player Damone Clark is that second linebacker next to LVE in the base defensive formation.

Clark was a first or second round prospect in the 2022 NFL Draft before doctors discovered a herniated disk in his neck.

He never missed a game in college, but NFL teams were wary of investing in a player who could be one play away from a career ending tackle.

Clark was taken by the Cowboys in the 5th round, and spinal fusion surgery was performed before the season.

Everyone thought Clark would redshirt his rookie season, but his rehab went swimmingly, and he took the field in Week 8.

The former LSU defensive captain made some rookie mistakes, but eventually began trusting his instincts, and improved as the season went along.

He played 59% of the defense’s snaps by season’s end, recording 47 tackles along the way.

Clark did not play a single defensive snap in the playoffs, instead lining up only on special teams.

If he is not able to morph into a good enough player to start in the NFL beside LVE, it will leave Dallas in a pickle with even less experience behind him.

Cowboys rookie LB DeMarvion Overshown

The Rest of the Depth Chart Can’t Step Up

Let me start by mentioning that 3rd round rookie DeMarvion Overshown has been showing out at camp, and looks like a draft steal.

Behind him, the performance has been lackluster.

Returning players like Jabril Cox, Malik Jefferson, and Devin Harper have failed to separate themselves from the rest of the pack.

There are other camp bodies like Tyrus Wheat and Isaiah Land who could force Dallas to make a tough decision if they show some flash on special teams.

Anyone who knows Dan Quinn’s defense will point out that safeties like Jayron Kearse, Donovan Wilson, and even Markquese Bell essentially play a linebacker role.

However, do you really want that third linebacker to be one of those undersized guys when the defense is trying to get off of the field on 3rd & 2?

Dallas desperately needs one of these young players to step up, even if neither of the scenarios with the two starters comes into play.

The last resort would be to add veteran help prior to Week 1, much like they did last season when they signed Anthony Barr.