3 Cowboys on Thin Ice With Matt Eberflus as Defensive Coordinator

With Matt Eberflus taking over as the Cowboys' new defensive coordinator, a few players could be on thin ice this offseason.
ByJovan Alford|
Aug 12, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA;Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa (97) and defensive tackle Mazi Smith (58) on the field in the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars  at AT&T Stadium.
Aug 12, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA;Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa (97) and defensive tackle Mazi Smith (58) on the field in the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at AT&T Stadium. | Tim Heitman-Imagn Images
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2. Eric Kendricks, LB

With DeMarvion Overshown possibly missing a lot of the 2025 season, the Cowboys will need to address the linebacker spot in free agency or the draft. When Eberflus was with the Bears or the Colts, the MIKE and WILL linebacker spots were paramount to his defense's success.

The Cowboys have a couple of young linebackers in Overshown and Marist Liufau, who fit that size and range checklist for Eberflus. However, Overshown is rehabbing from a terrible knee injury, while Liufau is entering his second year.

Therefore, the next logical step for the Cowboys would be to possibly re-sign veteran linebacker Eric Kendricks, who had a solid 2024 season under Zimmer. The 32-year-old defender had 138 combined tackles (second-most in his career), four tackles for loss, three QB hits, three forced fumbles, three pass deflections, and two interceptions.

Based on those stats, it’s a no-brainer for Eberflus to want Kendricks back in Dallas for another year. However, as ESPN’s Todd Archer wrote earlier this month, Kendricks coming back to the Cowboys might be tied to Zimmer.

"Eric Kendricks has led the Cowboys in tackles, despite missing two games. He could also be tied to Zimmer's return, since Zimmer's spot on the staff was the main reason Kendricks came to the Cowboys."

Zimmer isn’t returning to Dallas and reportedly will likely retire. Therefore, not having Kendricks patrolling the middle of the field could become a reality for the Cowboys in 2025. 

And then to make matters worse, the inside linebacker free agency class isn’t special, so Dallas might have to take a chance on Cody Barton or Tyrel Dodson, for example.