Which Cowboys linebacker are you most excited about?
Whenever a team heads into training camp, some positions are more open than others. For the 2025 Dallas Cowboys, linebacker is one where it’s not hard to predict who will make the official roster. That isn’t to say there won’t be any competition, but does make for a relatively small and uneventful roster bubble.
This could change before we get to Oxnard, but right now Dallas has nine linebackers under contract. Of those nine, one will definitely not be participating in camp or even the first part of the schedule. DeMarvion Overshown’s major knee injury from December will keep him out until at least midway through 2025, if not the entire season. It’s a safe bet that he won’t count against the roster once we get into September, ending up on some kind of injury list. But whenever he’s healthy, Overshown is guaranteed to return to a prominent role.
A few other guys are also sure to be on the roster. Marist Liufau, a third-round pick last year, is looking to build on a solid rookie campaign. Free agent addition Jack Sanborn spent the last three years in Matt Eberflus’ defense with the Bears and is expected to be a field general as it gets installed in Dallas. Veteran Kenneth Murray Jr., traded for last March, is projected for significant snaps as well and wore the green dot in offseason activities.
Now is where the bubble really begins. And even then, one of these remaining guys may just be a placeholder until Overshown returns. But for however many additional LB spots Dallas has in 2025, here are the contenders.
Damone Clark
After starting all 17 games in 2023 due to injuries, the fourth-year prospect fell out of favor last year. He struggled in the transition to Mike Zimmer’s scheme and wound up far behind Overshown, Liufau, and Eric Kendricks in the rotation. Some are surprised he avoided being a salary cap casualty this offseason, but Dallas must still see value in him and have hopes for how he’ll perform under Eberflus. If nothing else, his experience makes him a worthy competitor in camp and insurance policy for depth.
Shemar James
A fifth-round rookie out of Florida, James is an athletic prospect who needs to improve his recognition and decision-making on the field. He is expected to challenge for special teams work right away, which is always a plus for guys trying to make it at the bottom of the depth chart. His draft status and a fresh four-year, inexpensive deal make for a solid tiebreaker against other prospects.
Buddy Johnson
Johnson was a core special teams player last year, trailing only C.J. Goodwin and Israel Mukuamu in total snaps. He actually played for Eberflus briefly in Chicago in 2023, joining them for training camp but getting injured that August. This is his second offseason in Dallas and the 26-year-old hopes to finally earn a role on defense. He was a fourth-round pick in 2021 by Pittsburgh, so perhaps there is still some potential that the new defensive staff can unlock.
Darius Harris
At 29 years old, Harris is going to be up against it with several younger prospects to contend with. But after going undrafted in 2019, he stuck around for four years with the Chiefs as a reserve linebacker before joining Dallas in 2024. He may not have played a big part in any of Kansas City’s championship wins, but that experience and his longevity so far indicate perceived value. We’ll see if it’s enough to get him another year with the Cowboys.
Justin Barron
One of this year’s undrafted free agents, Barron projects as a hybrid linebacker/safety in the same mold as Jayron Kearse and Markquese Bell. He moved from safety to linebacker at Syracuse and has nice size at 6’4” with athleticism to boot. It’s raw material, hence going undrafted, as he’s been knocked for his technique in run support. But if he can flash potential, those physical traits will keep coaches interested.
