There is some pressure on the Dallas Cowboys to get over the hump during the 2024 season. If they do not, there could be sweeping changes made during the 2025 offseason.
All of the focus thus far this summer has been on pending contract extensions. Quarterback Dak Prescott and his No. 1 target, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, are both awaiting new deals from the team.
While Prescott has been present at the Cowboys’ offseason program, Lamb has not been. Should holdouts occur, the team’s offensive game plan would change drastically.
That would lead to a lot of pressure being placed on the defense. In 2023, the Cowboys had the No. 5 ranked defense in terms of yardage and points allowed. But, defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is no longer with the team.
He will be replaced by Mike Zimmer, who has some holes to fill. One of those holes is at linebacker, where the team lost veteran Leighton Vander Esch to forced retirement for his injuries.
Erik Kendricks was signed to help fill the void, but all eyes will be on second-year player, DeMarvion Overshown. A third-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Texas, Overshown is a converted safety.
He was playing at a high level last summer before a torn ACL suffered in the second preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks. Before the setback, he was trending toward being a starter for the Cowboys.
Ready to get back into the mix, Overshown has landed on Marcus Mosher’s list of defensive player breakouts for 2024 over at The 33rd Team.
“Going into Year 2, Overshown is healthy and ready to return to the field. He has added some bulk to help him take on offensive linemen in the run game. But for as good of a fit as could have been in Quinn’s defense, he makes even more sense for new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer…
The Cowboys have a lot of talent up front on their defensive line and one of the best secondaries in the league. But their Achilles’ heel has been the linebacker play, which has cost them in the playoffs. Overshown could be the answer to that problem, and if he is, the Cowboys could have an elite defense again in 2024,” Mosher wrote.
Playing linebacker in a Zimmer-led defense is not easy. He likes to crowd the line of scrimmage, showing a lot of blitzes. Getting after the quarterback is key, but being able to drop into coverage is also important.
That is a unique skill set in the NFL. But a player such as Overshown, who started his career as a safety, should adapt to the demands of it well.
Weaknesses shown in recent seasons by the Cowboys can be improved by Overshown. He is an ideal fit for what they need at the second level of their defense.
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