Certainly, one of the notable features of the offseason for the Dallas Cowboys has been the hype that has been given to the new-look defense, which is slated for significant improvement. It is a low bar, of course, having finished last in the league in points allowed last season, with 511, a number that was also a franchise record. There is reason for the optimism, though, staring with new coordinator Christian Parker and No. 11 overall pick Caleb Downs. But maybe DeMarvion Overshown should be on the optimism list, too.
As ESPN sees things, he ought to be. And the Cowboys would be thrilled if that is the case–linebacker is one of the big question marks for this unit, and a healthy, productive Overshown would answer those questions.
When he has played, Overshown showed he can be a reliable play-making wildcard in the middle for the Cowboys. He only played 218 snaps, so he did not qualify for the rankings, but his PFF grade of 67.4 would have put him just outside the Top 30 linebackers in the league last year, and considering how poor the talent around him was–and that he did not debut until Week 10–that’s a pretty good rating.
Cowboys’ DeMarvion Overshown Has Injury History
We know, of course, Overshown’s recent history. He played only six games in 2025 as he was recovering from a torn ACL, MCL and PCL. He missed all of 2023 with a knee injury, and has just 19 NFL games under his belt after he was a third-round pick from Texas.
But ESPN’s Brett Solak, when looking at breakout candidates for the Cowboys, pointed right to Overshown.
Solak says that despite the positive PFF rating, Overshown has more in the tank he can show this year if he stays healthy.
In picking Overshown as the breakout candidate for the Cowboys, he wrote: “Overshown did not look like himself after returning last season in Week 11 — he had only one TFL in six games after posting eight in 13 games during the 2024 season. He cleared 19 mph in top speed seven separate times in the 2024 season, per NFL Next Gen Stats; he never cleared it in 2025. As he gets further away from the injury, he’ll hopefully recover the top speed that allowed him to play sideline to sideline and trigger quickly on those behind-the-line opportunities.”
Linebacker Still Lacking in New-Look Defense
The Cowboys made linebacker a priority in free agency, and made offers to the likes of Nakobe Dean, Quay Walker and Devin Lloyd, but came up short in actually signing any of them. They weighed trades for stars in the middle, like Jordyn Brooks, but instead made a modest moves to trade for Dee Winters.
It’s a position of concern, and the Cowboys are not deep at linebacker. But a stellar season from Overshown (who is in a contract year0 would go a long way.
“I hope it’s big,” coach Brian Schottenheimer said about a potential Overshown leap. “We all know the impact he can have. The type of young man he is and the way that he prepares and works — I love his play style but I love his leadership. And I think … having a full offseason is something that should have him very excited because of the potential and the talent and the drive and work ethic and all of those things. I think he’s made of the right stuff.”
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