When the Dallas Cowboys hired Matt Eberflus to take over for Mike Zimmer as the new defensive coordinator, the expectation was that he would establish the same physical defense he had with the Chicago Bears.
He brought Jack Sanborn with him, and the former undrafted free agent looked like one of the most potentially impactful additions of the offseason. At just $1.5 million per year, some thought he would be the ultimate bargain. We're now officially four weeks into the Jack Sanborn experiment, and it might be time to pull the plug on him.
Jack Sanborn Continues to Struggle
Sanborn couldn't get anything going in the tie to the Green Bay Packers, failing to drop back in coverage and leaving the middle of the field wide open. Jordan Love kept pushing the ball when he was the closest defender, and Sanborn was the gift that kept on giving for the Packers' offense.
Despite being familiar with Eberflus' defensive system, the former Wisconsin standout has missed several assignments and has looked overpowered at times. Add some missed tackles to the mix, and you have a recipe for disaster.
Sanborn has given up 9 receptions for 117 yards in coverage this season, allowing an absurd passer rating of 115.4 when targeted in coverage, per Pro-Football-Reference. Even before Sunday's dud is finalized, he ranked just 91st out of 123 eligible linebackers with a 52.7 PFF grade.
The Best Replacement Might Already be There
As much as Sanborn has ties to Eberflus and he clearly has the utmost confidence in him, the Cowboys' defense has been one of the two worst in the league so far. With that in mind, it might be time to turn to Marist Liufau in his place.
Granted, Liufau had a frustrating penalty with a late hit that extended the Green Bay Packers' drive, but he also brought plenty of energy, and he had one of the highlights of the game when he obliterated Matthew Golden in a punt-return attempt.
While not the typical middle linebacker, he's the type of sideline-to-sideline defender who makes sure to finish plays. He's a hard-hitter who is going to put his body on the line and won't hesitate to do the dirty work if that's what it takes to help the team. He struggled as a rookie in 2024, but big improvements in the preseason and some solid run defense in his limited action in 2025 show plenty of promise for the 24-year-old.
DeMarvion Overshown will be back on the field at some point in the season after recovering from his knee injury, and he will provide this team with a strong push at WLB. By that time, Matt Eberflus may have finally realized that it's time to pull the plug on the weakest link of a disappointing defense.