The Dallas Cowboys knew they had a linebacker problem when last offseason began. Such was the case the year before and frankly, the year before that. Linebacker has been a weak spot in Dallas for quite some time because, aside from some dazzling play of the oft-injured DeMarvion Overshown, it’s been a position without much promise.
It’s why the Cowboys’ reserved behavior towards the position was so curious. Instead of signing a proven veteran once and for all, Dallas slow-played the situation at linebacker. They purged the unit of past failures and pinned most hope on the return of the aforementioned Overshown and a rookie standout named Jaishawn Barham.
Throughout training camp and the preseason, the hype surrounding these two players reached high school pep rally levels. Overshown’s explosive traits combined with Barham’s imposing size and playing style made it appear what was once a weakness, might soon be a strength.
After the Cowboys Week 1 loss to the Giants on Sunday Night Football, that optimism has all but vanished. Not only did Overshown leave the contest with yet another injury, but previous to that injury his play looked disjointed. Reads were slow, assignments missed and coverage was loose. Overshown appears miscast in Christian Parker’s system and that doesn’t bode well for a unit that was banking on his contributions this season.
The Cowboys lowest graded defenders from week one against the Giants, according to PFF:
1. Jonathan Bullard 33.1
2. James Houston 37.9
3. DeMarvion Overshown 41.4
4. Dee Winters 42.1
5. Malachi Lawrence 44.5— Connor Livesay (@ConnorNFLDraft) September 14, 2026
Similarly, Barham didn’t perform as advertised either. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound linebacker out of Michigan took 34 defensive snaps on the evening. With 19 snaps coming on running downs, 13 in coverage and two snaps as a pass rusher, Barham looked the do-it-all prospect he was billed to be on draft day. The only problem is his effort and execution were lacking.
This level of effort from Barham is wild. I think the kid has a ton of potential, but he will never reach it playing like this. pic.twitter.com/WA2ydf3ewU
— Massey (@TheJAMassey) September 14, 2026
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Perhaps it was conditioning and perhaps it was being overworked on a defense that couldn’t get off the field, but on a couple occasions Barham looked as if he pulled up from giving max effort. It’s a concerning development from the third-round pick and something that’s certainly tempered excitement for the young prospect.
It stands to reason, if Overshown can’t get healthy and play better in all phases of the game, he needs to be replaced on the field. Factoring in that late hit out of bounds on Sunday, Overshown has become more liability than asset. In the same way Barham has potentially shown a toxic trait that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later. With a loose cannon reputation to already overcome, Barham can’t afford to add new character concerns to the mix.
Barham and Overshown still represent Dallas’ best route to improvement at the linebacker position simply because of their natural gifts. But excitement and optimism took a major hit in their debut game together in Week 1.
You can follow Reid on X @ReidDHanson and be sure to follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys star veteran and explosive rookie are sudden concerns at LB
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