Amid an offseason focused on reforming the defense, the Dallas Cowboys could be leaving a former third-round pick in the dust. That third-round pick is none other than Marist Liufau, the former standout linebacker at Notre Dame. After struggling in his sophomore season, head coach Brian Schottenheimer announced that they will be changing his position to edge rusher- a position they’re already stacked up with on paper.
Given that they allowed the second-most yards per game last year, at 391.9, it makes sense that Dallas is making sweeping changes to the defense. They hired former Philadelphia Eagles secondary coach Christian Parker as the new defensive coordinator in January. Then they brought in new starters at nose tackle, edge, inside linebacker, strong safety, and even nickel back.
After two seasons not making a big impact as an inside linebacker, the Cowboys are deciding to try something completely different with Liufau. It could be just what he needs in his career, or a bad sign of things to come.
With Parker leading the charge, Liufau may be less of a factor next season. Moe Moton of Bleacher Report actually believes he could be an early trade candidate and predicts that Dallas would move him for a late 2027 pick if possible.
Will the Cowboys stick with Liufau or trade him?
"If Liufau struggles with a move to the edge, the Cowboys could shop him before final roster cuts. Teams in need of a rotational pass-rusher may see untapped potential in the 25-year-old at his new position."Moe Moton
What’s going to be tough for the former Notre Dame standout is learning a new position while also learning Parker’s new defensive scheme. It’s a lot to put on his shoulders, and he may not translate well. Regardless, Schottenheimer told the official Cowboys' website that Liufau is excited for the challenge.
“We’ve talked to Marist about it. He was excited. He can eat a little bit more to get his weight back up a little bit,” Schottenheimer said.
At 238 pounds, Liufau instantly becomes the lightest edge rusher in the Cowboys’ system. He’s going to have to beef up if he wants to compete realistically. Even if so, Dallas has three players listed ahead of him on the depth chart as of today.
Ahead of Liufau on the depth chart at edge rusher are Rashan Gary, James Houston, and LT Overton.
Gary has spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Green Bay Packers, stacking up 46.5 sacks and 270 tackles. He’ll immediately step in as the starter and should make a huge impact.
Houston is coming off a season as one of the most impactful players on the Dallas defense, logging 5.5 sacks, the second-most on the team. The former sixth-round pick burst onto the scene with the Detroit Lions in 2022. But injuries have been prevalent throughout his career.
Finally, Overton is an interesting fourth-round rookie from Alabama. He’s described as highly versatile and could see game reps as the season progresses.
All in all, these guys offer more upside than Liufau. It’s great that he’s keeping a good attitude amid the position change. But the signs point to him not being involved in the Cowboys’ plans moving forward.
It’s a move that more than likely will happen. At the very least, Liufau’s days as a mainstay on the Dallas defense seem to be numbered. His stats declined massively from year one to two, and with the shift in coaching and defensive personnel, it’s going to be an uphill battle for him to work his way back into the fold.
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