Maybe the Dallas Cowboys have all they need on the defensive side of the ball. Maybe the spots most find to be especially thin and prone to injury concerns will be covered because some players take steps forward in their development, and other players finally stay healthy. But if there’s any spot on the depth chart where that worry seems most legitimate, any spot in which the Cowboys just can not be sure everything will work out right this summer, it’s at linebacker.
The concerns are obvious. The team’s projected starters are DeMarvion Overshown, who is a fun player but has been healthy for just 19 games in the three seasons since he was picked in the third round out of Texas. The other starter is Dee Winters, who had a nice season as a starter in San Francisco last season–his only season as a starter–but who the 49ers quickly dumped for a fifth-round pick when the Cowboys made the offer during the draft.
For a team that entered free agency in pursuit of stars like Nakobe Dean, Quay Walker and Devin Lloyd, this is not the linebacking crew that was expected.
Cowboys Not That Confident About Linebackers
That’s what should give a strong signal that the Cowboys are not all that confident in the group they have, and are still in line to make a move on a linebacker in the coming weeks as training camp opens up in Oxnard.
That’s according to Cowboys beat writer Jon Machota, who pointed out that the Cowboys wanted to bolster the pass rush and found ways to do so even after missing on Maxx Crosby back in March. But after aggressively pursuing linebackers shortly thereafter, they did precious little else.
‘Actions Speak Louder Than Words’
Speaking on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas on Monday, Machota pointed out that the lack of answers at linebacker–compared to how the Cowboys handled pass-rush questions this offseason–indicates that something more is coming.
Said Machota: “I am a huge actions speak louder than words person, and that absolutely applies to covering this team. And you don’t try to make a trade for Maxx Crosby and then say, ‘Nah, we’ll just run this back.’ Now, since then, after that fell through, you made a trade for Rashan Gary and you used a first-round pick on Malachi Lawrence. So I can at least say, ‘All right, they did address their interest there.’
“But free agency starts and they have interest in Devin Lloyd, Dean, Walker and, does Dee Winters make up for that? Is that enough? You already kind of showed your cards that you knew that you needed more at linebacker. That’s why I think they’re not done there.”
Cowboys Have Time to Add a Linebacker
Now, the Cowboys have room for hope in the linebacking room. Overshown is an aggressive ball-magnet who could have a breakout year if he can play 17 games. Winters could back up the season he had in 2025–his speed and sideline-to-sideline ability might suit the defense of Christian Parker nicely. Perhaps Shemar James, after a rough rookie year as a fifth-round pick, will make a Year 2 leap.
It’s possible. But linebacker is a pretty easy position to fill–teams don’t place high value on it, and the LBs’ league-wide salary structure reflects that. So, if the hopes don’t show signs of blossoming, the Cowboys will be in position to add during camp, either via trade, via free-agency or by scooping up a waived player in late August.
But Machota is probably right–the Cowboys are not likely done adding at linebacker.
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