I was ready for the Cowboys to trade for a linebacker.
I’ve written about the need and how we need to trade for Jordyn Brooks. Even after the Dee Winters trade early in the offseason, I still thought they needed another proven guy in the room. Way too many questions, and not enough answers.
Jaishawn Barham is starting to change my mind.
He is a rookie, and we’re talking about training camp, not December football, but I’ve seen enough of this guy to slow down the trade talk.
Jaishawn Barham Is Earning A Starting Role
This young man is already getting first-team reps early in camp and that says a lot about where he is in his development and physicality.
As mentioned earlier, Dallas traded for Dee Winters and then used the 92nd pick on Barham. This rookie wasn’t drafted with a starting role waiting for him.
But Jaishawn Barham has already worked his way into reps with the first-team defense and is pushing the inside linebacker competition by catching everyone’s attention.
Reps aren’t free, and he is bank rolling in them right now.
The Coverage Is What I’m Watching
Who remembers Kenneth Murray Jr. in coverage last year, I do. It doesn’t take much to be better than him in that area.
What we knew about Jaishawn Barham coming out of college was that he could play downhill.
At Michigan, he bounced between linebacker and edge. In his final season, he started four games at linebacker and seven on the edge, finishing with 10 tackles for loss and four sacks.
I never had any doubts about how physical this rookie would be, but oh my gosh, he still looks like a man among boys at Cowboys training camp.
Coverage was the question mark.
Can he see what’s happening in front of him and avoid becoming the guy quarterbacks immediately target?
So far, he is holding his own.
Barham has already broken up a pass on the slant right over the middle and fought through the trash to cover a wheel route. I love that he was in position to make these plays.
Keep working young man.
Christian Parker Can Move Him Around
What I really like about Jaishawn Barham is the versatility. Dallas doesn’t have to leave him at inside linebacker all game.
He can walk up to the line and show pressure, he can rush, and he can drop into coverage. The experience he gained playing edge at Michigan gives Christian Parker another way to use Barham without asking him to do something he hasn’t before.
Throw DeMarvion Overshown into that mix and Dee Winters, and Parker can get a little exotic with his pre-snap looks.
This could be the thing that sets this defense apart by having a linebacker core who can make quarterbacks figure out what’s going on. Instead of just vanilla concepts that were picked apart last season.
Jaishawn Barham’s Physicality is Showing Up
Brian Schottenheimer has already talked about Barham’s ability to get off blocks by calling him heavy-handed.
Kenny Clark recognizes the screen quickly and forces the RB to stop his feet and cut back right into Jaishawn Barham, who took an aggressive angle to back door Tyler Booker. Bland also
I think that’s just about what you would expect from a linebacker his size, but hearing it from the head coach has to be a breath of fresh air for fans.
The Cowboys don’t need another linebacker who looks athletic until a lineman gets his hands on him.
Barham has the size and ability to take that contact, get loose and find the ball.
So far, I like what I’ve been seeing.
I’m Backing Off the Trade Idea
I don’t think I will ever be completely out on a trade, maybe once the season starts and Jaishawn Barham and the other linebackers show they can handle their business.
If a good veteran becomes available for cheap, answer the phone. Things happen, and linebacker depth can disappear pretty quick.
But I wouldn’t give away a draft pick right now.
Let’s see how Barham plays out. Give him the preseason snaps and see how he handles motion and play-action. Send a 315 pound guard at him and see what happens.
He will mess up, he’s a rookie. Let him learn from it.
I went into this training camp thinking linebacker was a spot Dallas still needed to fix. Maybe I was looking for an answer that’s already on the team.
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