Being flexible and adaptable at your workplace transcends football.
Coincidentally, the NFL loves to employ players with many skills in their tool belts.
The Dallas Cowboys earned praise by selecting players like Tyrone Crawford and Byron Jones for their ability to play multiple positions.
In all his glory, Commissioner Roger Goodell continues to build a league that caters to offenses more heavily than before.
Quarterbacks have players like Travis Kelce, George Kittle, and Darren Waller, who create challenges in the middle of the field that is hard to eliminate.
Defensive Coordinator Dan Quinn has seen enough.
Watching offenses grow more robust and more versatile was gut-wrenching.
He knew he would need to fight fire with fire.
The best athletes on the field are on the defensive side of the ball, and maximizing their versatility is Quinn’s bread and butter.
This season, five guys will earn playing time at various positions.
We’ve seen Micah Parsons play the edge, linebacker, and even drop in coverage. We all know what he represents.
Ditto for Jayron Kearse.
Let’s discuss three other players who should see the field at multiple positions.
DeMarvion Overshown may see playing time at three different positions
The possibility that Dallas’s most versatile defender has never touched an NFL field is fascinating.
DeMarvion Overshown caused problems for Big-12 offenses in various ways, buoying him into a top-100 pick in this year’s draft.
His size alone (6’3″, 229 lbs.) makes him big enough to play near the line of scrimmage.
The athleticism, with 4.56 seconds in the 40-yard dash, suggests he should be able to get to the quarterback expeditiously.
Lastly, his 1.56 in the 10-yard dash tells us he has a decent short-area burst and should be able to move around with tight ends and play in the zone effectively.
Overshown will compete at the linebacker spot with Jabril Cox and maybe even Damone Clark. That’s the starting point.
Envisioning him taking some additional snaps as a safety is more than realistic, depending on the opposing matchup.
The climb to substantial defensive snaps started in organized team activities and minicamp. Next up is training camp and then the preseason.
I’m confident his abilities will be on display in the preseason.
Fans who are in love with him continue to be enamored. Others who are on the fence will fall over to the right side.
He will serve as an excellent backup plan should Kearse get injured and double down as an heir to the nickel linebacker role.
Israel Mukuamu will become a household name this season
In last season’s Wild Card round, Izzy Mukuamu’s play sparked the discussion that he should have been on the field more than he was.
Your guess is as good as mine on why he was on a pitch count with playing time in the 2022 regular season.
A total of 154 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus, won’t provide the opportunities needed to make an impact.
Needless to say, it was much more than the 2020 season, when he only grabbed 20 total defensive snaps.
The playoff game versus Tom Brady and company was a different story and reminded the Dallas Cowboys what they had in this player.
Chris Godwin ate quite a bit against Dallas with ten snags, but Mukuamu made the necessary plays to stall Tampa’s offense at the right time.
His impact was made in the slot, highlighting why he is crucial in 2023.
He may sometimes find himself back in the slot, outside cornerback position, or even safety.
What is safe to say is that he could be Dallas’ Swiss army knife, and finding places to plug him in the field should be a priority.
Chauncey Golston will see snaps on the interior and the edge
Chauncey Golston is no stranger to Dallas Cowboys fans.
In 2021, he kicked off with a whopping 414 snaps, but unfortunately, the numbers took a hit in 2022, dropping to 237.
Most of his 2021 playing time was at the defensive end, but that flipped where he was used more in the B-gap.
Last year’s PFF grades won’t leave you with the impression that we have an All-Pro in the making.
You’ll see he was solid against the NFC East at a second glance.
This year against the Philadelphia Eagles, we’ll need an encore from the third-year pro.
Three pressures don’t seem like a lot, but it’s more than adequate from a backup.
With the additions of Mazi Smith and Junior Fehoko, there may not be a gaping hole in the line’s interior.
Fehoko will provide him with some competition for a similar type of role.
However, Chauncey’s skill set is undeniable and tailor-made to be a mismatch problem for offensive linemen.
Dan Quinn has a defender primed to play all across the defensive line. That flexibility will serve the team well, especially within the 3-technique position.
Jonathan Hankins and Mazi should take care of the nose.
Additionally, there is still depth needed behind Osa Odighizuwa. His snaps should increase, and his versatility should serve them well.
Quinn loves his multi-dimensional players, and we’ll ultimately get to the promised land because of that talent.
