The Dallas Cowboys were officially eliminated from playoff contention when the Philadelphia Eagles took down the Washington Commanders on Saturday. Even with quarterback Dak Prescott giving it his all for the Dallas offense, the defense has allowed the second-most points per game (30.3 PPG) and consistently held the Cowboys back.
Sixth-year linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr. has been one of the most frustrating parts of the defense, failing to live up to expectations all season. That only continued in the Week 16 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers when Murray had two missed tackles and only three total tackles the entire game.
That followed another subpar performance in the Week 15 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, when Murray only recorded a half tackle, further highlighting the mistake the Cowboys made when they traded for him ahead of the 2025 season in exchange for a draft pick swap.
With few opportunities left to sway the franchise and fan base's opinion of him, it looks like Murray isn't long for the Cowboys.
Kenneth Murray Jr. Likely Won't Return to Cowboys in 2026
What makes the lack of production from Murray even more concerning is the fact that Dallas has been unable to get off the field defensively. Still, Murray has not done anything to stand out and is clearly on the verge of playing his way out of Dallas as he is set to become an unrestricted free agent following the season.
Murray does lead the team with 77 total tackles to go along with one sack, four tackles for loss, two passes defended, and one fumble recovery. However, his overall body of work paints a much different picture. According to Pro Football Focus, Murray has been on the field for 805 snaps, which ranks 33rd out of 177 qualified LBs. Meanwhile, he only ranks 46th in tackles (52) and has an atrocious 39.8 overall grade, which is good for 83rd.
PFF's grades aren't definitive, nor do they always tell the full story, but it's safe to say Murray's grades should be much higher. The Cowboys are paying him over $7.5 million in cash this season, per Spotrac, after all.
The poor performance from the Cowboys' defense has put Murray on the field for more than enough snaps to have better production than he currently has, and the lack of playmaking suggests a player who is not delivering for a team that already has enough issues to deal with on that side of the ball.
With their playoff dreams crushed, it would be shocking for the Cowboys to keep defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus around, especially considering the defensive struggles on a team that ranks fifth in offensive scoring (28.3 PPG). Having been eliminated from the playoffs, that also means it is crucial for Murray to play well down the stretch if he wants another contract.
If he continues to struggle in the final two games as he did against the Chargers, that only gives Dallas even more reason to move on from him and look elsewhere as it searches for answers defensively.