Dallas City News

One of the more disappointing things to happen to the Dallas Cowboys in 2023 was the injury to then-rookie linebacker DeMarvion Overshown. When he went down with a torn ACL in a preseason game, it ended what many had hoped to be an exciting rookie campaign for the former Longhorn.

Fast forward to the current day and Overshown is on his way to being back on the field, and with an opportunity to be a huge part of the Cowboys’ defense. While the excitement is there, so are the unknowns. We never got a chance to see him in regular-season action, and we don’t know how he will respond following a major knee injury.

Those questions, coupled with the fact the Cowboys used a third-round pick on Notre Dame LB Marist Liufau to bolster the unit, set up an interesting training camp for the men in the middle.

Young LB talent battling for playing time in 2024 for the Cowboys

When you look at the Cowboys linebacker room, two things are clear – Eric Kendricks is going to be the leader of the group under Mike Zimmer, and Damone Clark is going to be a big part of the action as well. Outside of that, it’s a bunch of intrigue and unanswered questions.

Yes, DeMarvion Overshown flashed some real potential in last year’s preseason, and the excitement for the in-state product is justifiably high. But just because he looked good last year in limited preseason action in Dan Quinn’s scheme doesn’t necessarily mean it will translate in 2024, post-knee injury in a new scheme entirely.

The hope is that the sideline-to-sideline instincts, and high-motor coupled with athleticism are all firing correctly still following his knee repair. The ability to dissect a play early, and react in real-time is something he showed real promise with. More of that early on, and this may not be much of a battle for playing time.

However, Liafau brings an interesting element to this dynamic as he also plays similarly, which many would describe as a guy who plays like a man whose hair is on fire. He comes screaming downhill and isn’t afraid to take on blockers or put his body on the line and play tough, but does so while playing the game cerebrally as well.

These are all traits Zimmer will covet in his new scheme. Adding to the fact that this was a Zimmer pick, with no ties to Overshown, you wonder how much that factors into the decision-making process.

Both guys are going to play a huge part in the future and the current day, but just who gets the first nod will be something to watch as training camp progresses. And while some are ready to lock Overshown in from Day 1, this should be one of the more fun training camp battles to watch in Oxnard this year, and nothing should be conceded until we see it play out on the field.