The Dallas Cowboys linebacker corps the last few years can be simply described as thin. Sean Lee is a perennial All-pro if he can stay on the field but staying on the field has been his only challenge throughout his career. After Sean Lee there has been a huge drop off in talent and every year when Lee goes down the Dallas Cowboys are scrambling to fill roster spots. They sign troubled players or guys off the street such as Rolando McClain and Justin Durant just to get some warm bodies on the field. This year will be different. Cowboy fans can finally start to feel good about the depth at the linebacker position.
Sean Lee is the brain, heart and soul of the defense. He is the best player they have on the defensive side of the ball and he is invaluable to the team. As mentioned previously, his health is the main concern. The Dallas Cowboys have moved the oft injured Lee from middle linebacker to WILL linebacker in 2015 and that helped him stay relatively healthy and earn Pro-Bowl and All-Pro honours in consecutive seasons. However, in 2017 he again missed significant time which really hurt the Cowboys as they went 1-4 without him. If he can play 16 games in 2018 then Cowboy fans can rest easy. But, history suggests that he will miss at least some time again this year.
Another Dallas Cowboy LB with a storied injury history is Jaylon Smith. Unlike Lee, Smith’s issue has not been durability but whether or not he can fully recover from a near career ending knee injury. The Cowboys drafted Smith in the 2nd round in 2016. At the time, he would have been a top 5 pick prior to his injury but it was uncertain whether or not he would ever play again. The Cowboys took a chance and after missing his rookie season he was back on the field in 2017. Last season, many Cowboy fans were disappointed in Smith’s performance and specifically his struggles in pass coverage. He was judged harshly in my opinion, especially since he was not nearly 100% and yet was playing at a pretty high level despite having partial paralysis in his left foot. This year he appears to have progressed to nearly 100%. He will no longer wear a brace as he did last season and has looked impressive in camp and in the pre-season. Smith is a dynamic athlete and a fun player to watch fly around the field. The Cowboys plan to use him in several creative including as a pass rusher. Expectations are incredibly high for him this year and many experts and teammates are pegging him as a breakout player for 2018.
The Dallas Cowboys have also drafted Leighton Vander Esch with their first round pick in 2018. Vander Esch is a talented young linebacker with size, speed and athleticism. He will need time to strengthen and develop but should be able to contribute if he stays healthy. He has been held back thus far with injuries during camp but the Cowboys coaching staff are very excited about his pass coverage ability and capacity to make plays.
Sean Lee, Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch are the most talented threesome the Dallas Cowboys have had at linebacker in a very long time. Cowboy fans are very excited about what these guys can do if they are all on the field at the same time but their injury history suggest that may be a rare occurrence. That is why the depth at the position is so vital. This year the Cowboys appear to be very deep at linebacker behind those three guys. Free agent signing Joe Thomas has looked really impressive and will likely see the field often to start the season. Damien Wilson is the returning starter at SAM linebacker and he is solid player who can cover and can add something as a pass rusher as well. Another veteran free agent signing that can contribute is former Chief Justin March-Lillard.
The overall outlook at linebacker is positive for the Dallas Cowboys. The big question will be how many linebackers they will keep on the 53 man roster? In the past they have kept 7 or 8 linebackers on the roster but that may not be the case this year. That will depend on how many WR’s, TE’s, OL’s and DL’s they chose to carry. If they do keep additional linebackers, guys like Chris Convington and Kyle Queiro have a shot to make the team especially if they can contribute on special teams.
All data collected and verified through http://www.profootballreference.com
*Photo by Kieth Allison https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcode