When defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus came to the Dallas Cowboys, it was a clear change in philosophy on that side of the ball. His scheme is built to allow the linebacker position to be free and roam and be very productive. Unfortunately, the has not been the case with current group. Specifically, free agent additions Jack Sanborn and Kenneth Murray have not performed well consistently. However, there’s one veteran that’s avaliable who could help.
Former second-round pick Eric Kendricks is still out there. He recently went to visit the Baltimore Ravens, but he declined an offer to be on their practice squad.
This is something that the Cowboys should look into immediately. Yes, he is coming off of offseason shoulder surgery. With that said, it is Week 5 already, so whatever recovery time that was needed for him is long gone. Plus, when looking at what he did for the Cowboys in 2024, Kendricks can produce.
Although the overall unit wasn’t good, Kendricks led the Cowboys’ defense with 138 tackles, four tackles for loss, two interceptions, three pass breakups, three forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. His instincts and savvy at the linebacker spot is still there and the Cowboys need that kind of presence in the middle of its defense. Also, second-year linebacker Marist Liufau fed off of playing beside Kendricks a year ago. Not to mention, it could help a guy like DeMarvion Overshown when he returns to action next month. Kendricks in the middle means Liufau and Overshown would be free to be playmakers.
The current linebackers have just been a step slow on their assignments so far this year which has led to some big runs and busts in coverage. This isn’t to say that Kendricks would fix everything, but he can certainly come in and provide more stability on the second level and stop some of the bleeding on this defense.
Dallas can’t keep relying on Dak Prescott and the offense to score 40 points every week. That’s just not sustainable for an entire season. Bringing a guy like Kendricks in just makes sense for a Cowboys defense that’s ranked 32nd in the league.
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