3. Linval Joseph, DT
Joseph is another veteran defender who could provide Eberflus depth on the defensive line in 2025. However, he’s not guaranteed to be back with the Cowboys as he’s set to be an unrestricted free agent when the new league year begins in March.
The 36-year-old appeared in all 17 games with the Cowboys as he was reunited with Zimmer. The veteran defender had 19 combined tackles, three quarterback hits, two tackles for loss, two sacks and a forced fumble.
Joseph isn’t known for his pass-rushing skills, as we mentioned with Smith earlier. However, he had a better-than-expected pass rush grade on PFF (77.5 – ranked 12th among 219 qualified defensive linemen). However, his run defense grade was abhorrent (38.9 – ranked 189th among 219 DLs), which shows how bad the Cowboys were at stopping the run.
Earlier this month, ESPN’s Todd Archer wrote that Joseph’s return could depend on if Zimmer returns.
With Zimmer not being the defensive coordinator, Eberflus and new Dallas head coach Brian Schottenheimer must prioritize the DT spot, including re-signing Osa Odighizuwa.
If Dallas goes ahead and re-signs Odighizuwa, it likely means other players such as Chauncey Golston could be the odd man out on the defense, especially if a team overpays for what he did in 2024.
After a poor 2024 season from the Cowboys' defense, the fanbase hopes the unit can stay healthy and create takeaways, which took a dip after having 26 in 2023.