Cowboys’ new LB Jack Sanborn being counted on to make impact right away
It was a much busier first week of free agency for the Dallas Cowboys than we are used to. In their flurry of moves, the Cowboys signed Jack Sanborn to a one-year deal, with the monetary details yet to be released. Sanborn, now 24 years old, will be competing for a starting job in Dallas in 2025 with his former head coach, and new Cowboys defensive coordinator, Matt Eberflus.
This signing should take us all down memory lane from 2024, when the Cowboys made their only signing during free agency when they brought in Eric Kendricks on a one-year deal. Kendrick’s had spent most of his career in Minnesota under Mike Zimmer, and now Sanborn will look to do the same in his first year in Dallas under Eberflus.
Sanborn does not have the track record that Kendricks had coming in, but he is young, relatively cheap (still waiting on contract details), and carved out a nice role in Chicago behind Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards. Sanborn was a restricted free agent this offseason, but the new Chicago coaching staff elected to not tender him making him an unrestricted free agent this week.
The Cowboys had a gigantic need at linebacker with DeMarvion Overshown sidelined for the foreseeable future and Eric Kendricks still on the free agent market. Sanborn will be thrown in the mix with 2024 third-round pick Marist Liufau, newly acquired Kenneth Murray, and Damone Clark, who is going into the final year of his rookie deal. Sanborn posted positive grades over his three years in Chicago, posting a 63.1 PFF grade in 2024, 67.3 PPF grade in 2023, and 64.5 PFF grade in 2022.
Sanborn brings in position versatility, familiarity with the new defensive coordinator, and starting potential at a position of need, eerily similar to what Kendricks brought to the table when he was signed to the team this time last year.
