In blink of eye, Cowboys upped this position from hopeless to hopeful

· Yahoo Sports

In many ways, the Dallas Cowboys haven’t had a true middle linebacker on the roster since Leighton Vander Esch. Since then, it’s been a game of ill-fits and musical chairs as Dallas scrambles to fill a key role smack-dab in the middle of their defense.

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2026 started out looking like more of the same for the Cowboys' MIKE spot. Jack Sanborn, Kenneth Murray and Logan Wilson were all gone and Marist Liufau moved to an on-ball outside linebacker role in their new 3-4 front. Even early attempts at signing a veteran free agent like Nakobe Dean failed miserably. Yet, when draft weekend rolled around, everything appeared to change.

After selecting defensive back Caleb Downs and edge rusher Malachi Lawrence with their first two picks, Shemar James and Justin Barron were the in-house candidates for starter.

It wasn’t the makeover Christian Parker was likely envisioning when he took over the defense in January, so the Cowboys made moves. They traded for fourth-year veteran Dee Winters from San Francisco and started put together what could eventually be a MIKE rotation built on merit rather than desperation.

Based on reports, Winters enters the mix at MIKE and in the competition for the green dot in 2026. His 27 NFL starts are an invaluable commodity for the Cowboys and should give him the inside track early in training camp.

Joining Winters in the battle is Dallas’ third-round pick, whom they selected immediately after the Winters trade. Jaishawn Barham, Michigan’s standout linebacker/pass-rusher tweener, is slated for inside linebacker early in his Cowboys career. His 6-foot-3 height and 80-inch wingspan are tailor made for the MIKE position in the NFL. His size and length are ideal for shrinking windows up the seam and filling fits in the box.

The Cowboys didn’t end there, signing sixth-year veteran Curtis Robinson as well. Robinson, largely a special teamer, doesn’t offer the upside the previous two offer but he’s in mix along with the aforementioned James and Barron.

In a matter of days, the Cowboys went improved from a far less scary situation for the Dallas defense. Playing in a 3-4 base, Christian Parker intends to use his inside linebackers ambidextrously. As such, a defined MIKE ‘backer might not have the same weight as one from yesteryear might have had to shoulder. But it’s a key role in both run defense and coverage and looks to have solid options for the first time in a long time.

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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: In blink of eye, Cowboys upped this position from hopeless to hopeful

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