The Dallas Cowboys must do something with Jack Sanborn, and they need to do it now. The former Chicago Bears linebacker was supposed to be a seamless fit in Matt Eberflus' defense. However, he hasn't lived up to expectations in Dallas, and the issues he's facing are sticking out like a sore thumb.
Sanborn's season-long woes were a huge talking point in the tie to the Green Bay Packers. He failed to drop in coverage and left the middle of the field open over and over. He might be familiar with his former head coach, but Eberflus' defense as a whole has been a disaster in the first month of the season.
With that in mind, the Cowboys could and should turn to a familiar face to solve this mistake. According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, veteran LB Eric Kendricks turned down a practice-squad deal with the Baltimore Ravens, leaving the door open for a potential return to Dallas.
The Cowboys Need Erick Kendricks Back
"Eric Kendricks declined an offer to start out on Baltimore’s practice squad and is headed home this morning. Offseason shoulder surgery kept him out, but he’s in peak shape now and determined to keep playing. He has 1,174 tackles over 10 years, including 138 last season," Pelissero wrote on X.
The Cowboys' decision not to re-sign the 32-year-old linebacker turned some heads at the time. He had 48 defensive stops last season. forced three fumbles, and was a force as a pass-rushing linebacker (three sacks and a 78.5 pass-rush grade, via Pro Football Focus). He was also on the field for most defensive snaps.
Perhaps Jerry Jones had some concerns about his durability, given that Kendricks is aging and underwent offseason surgery to address a shoulder injury he suffered during the 2024 campaign. With the veteran linebacker passing on an offer from the Ravens, coupled with the clear issues Sanborn has dealt with thus far, this might be the perfect time to lure him back to Arlington. Clearly, Kendricks feels healthy enough to make a roster, and he's only going to sign with a team if the situation makes sense.
Sanborn has been bad against the run and even worse against the pass this season, giving up nine catches for 117 yards. The Cowboys are allowing the most total yards and passing yards per game in the NFL entering Week 5, as well as the second-most points per game. While it has been a bad effort all across the board on that side of the ball, Sanborn definitely deserves a special mention for his struggles.
Despite this, the Cowboys are still 1-2-1, so there's plenty of time to address this issue by pursuing proven veteran contributors, like Kendricks, to plug the most noticeable holes currently facing this defense.