The Dallas Cowboys have made several changes to their defense this offseason, including hiring a new defensive coordinator, Christian Parker. Parker, who has put together a good staff, will have the task of getting this Cowboys’ defense back on track, which was one of the worst in the league in 2025.
Luckily, the Cowboys have done an exceptional job, solidifying the cornerback and safety spots in free agency, with the signings of Jalen Thompson, P.J. Locke, and Cobie Durant. However, the Cowboys haven’t landed another starting linebacker yet. They reportedly made a “competitive offer” for Nakobe Dean, but he decided to take his talents to Las Vegas.
Dallas also couldn’t land Quay Walker or even Devin Lloyd, per ESPN's Todd Archer.
While it was disappointing to see Dallas come up short in its pursuit of a standout free agent linebacker, it still has DeMarvion Overshown and an emerging talent in Shemar James. That said, if there’s a winner in this situation, it's James.
Shemar James’ 2026 Stock Slowly Starting to Pick Up Steam During Free Agency
No one in Dallas likely thought James would make his way into the starting lineup and make six starts as a rookie. However, after a disappointing performance from Jack Sanborn and Kenneth Murray Jr. not faring much better himself, the Cowboys had nothing to lose by going with James.
The former Florida Gators linebacker made his 2025 regular-season debut in Week 4 against the Green Bay Packers, where he had five combined tackles and a quarterback hit across 26 defensive snaps. That next week, James saw his snap count go up to 60 in Week 5 against the New York Jets, where he went off for 15 combined tackles.
From there, James made four straight starts between Weeks 6 and 9. During that stretch, he recorded 29 combined tackles, three quarterback hits, two tackles for loss, and a sack. Dallas needed this from James, as Overshown was still on the injury shelf, and the Sanborn-Murray combo wasn’t getting down.
The 6-foot-1 linebacker did go through some rookie growing pains during that four-game span in pass coverage. James allowed 10 completions (13 targets) for 82 yards and two touchdowns, and had a 132.1 passer rating against.
However, he showed improvement in the final two weeks of the season, where he returned to the starting lineup after being in a reserve role from Weeks 11 to 16. In those last two games, James allowed a 99.0 passer rating when targeted and only gave four receptions (four targets) for 31 yards.
In a linebacker unit that left much to be desired, the fact that James, a fifth-round pick, showed promise and should give the Cowboys hope in 2026. With Parker stepping into the DC role, he should allow James to be utilized in different ways, as the former Philadelphia Eagles coach has preached versatility and playing to his players' strengths.
According to Pro Football Focus, James had a 71.3 pass rush grade (ranked 22nd among 88 eligible linebackers) as a rookie. Parker should look to try to use James as a blitzer, which he did a considerable amount of last season (brought on a blitz 29 times).
For James to take the next step to be a full-time starter, his coverage skills must improve, along with his run defense (38.2 grade). Those things are fixable, though, and based on Parker’s comments at his introductory presser about building his scheme around the players, that could bode well for James' future in the Lone Star State.