Cowboys Working Out Perfect Leighton Vander Esch Replacement on Wednesday
The Dallas Cowboys entered the 2023 season with weak linebacking depth, and it's come back to bite them early on. Veteran Leighton Vander Esch suffered a major neck injury in Week 5 that's supposed to sideline him for 4-6 games, leaving a major hole on this defense with no obvious replacement.
However, Dallas has brought in a perfect candidate to take Vander Esch's role ahead of Week 6.
Veteran linebacker Rashaan Evans is in Dallas today on a free agent visit with the #Cowboys, per source. Former first-round pick could help Dallas’ depth coming off Leighton Vander Esch injury.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) October 11, 2023
Cowboys News: Rashaan Evans Working Out for Open Linebacker Spot
LB Rashaan Evans is visting the Cowboys on Wednesday, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. The vet has surprisingly gone unsigned since the end of the 2022 campaign, but that might not be the case for much longer.
Evans is the exact kind of do-it-all player who could immediately step in to replicate Vander Esch's impact. During the 2019, 2020 and 2022 seasons -- where he played all 16 or 17 games -- Evans racked up tackle totals of 111, 96 and a whopping 159. He's just as reliable providing help as he is taking ball carriers down one-on-one, as evidenced by his solo tackle marks of 69, 59 and 86 during those years as well.
The Alabama product brings the reliability that's needed at linebacker to ensure anyone who gets past the trenches doesn't break off even bigger gains.
Evans isn't just a cleanup man, though. He's got some playmaking to his game as well. During that three-year stretch, the former first-round pick recorded a combined 17 QB hits, 16 tackles for loss, nine pass breakups, 5.0 sacks and four fumble recoveries.
It's an absolute shock a player like Evans, who just led the Atlanta Falcons in tackles a year ago and is still only 27 years old, has remained on the market for this long. Assuming there's no unreported issues at play, the Cowboys shouldn't let him leave the building without a contract.
Assuming you're betting on the 'Boys this weekend, you shouldn't do that without signing up at BetMGM. They're dishing out $200 in instant bonus bets to new users who claim the offer below and place a first wager of just $10. This is a great opportunity to boost your bankroll, so act now before it's too late!
More Dallas Cowboys news:
feed