The Dallas Cowboys are less than a month away from departing for Oxnard, Calif., for training camp, as the Brian Schottenheimer era approaches its official beginning on July 21.
In the Cowboys Depth Chart series, we will take a look at each position group to determine which players are safe, on the bubble or have work to do in terms of making the 53-man roster coming out of training camp in late August.
At the linebacker position, new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus arrives with a specialty in developing and coaching the position. Four new faces in the form of two veterans and two rookies enter the room as the Cowboys look to get more out of the position in 2025.
Here is a quick look at how the linebackers stand going into camp.
SAFE (4)
Kenneth Murray Jr., Marist Liufau, Jack Sanborn, Shemar James
The Cowboys were aggressive early in the offseason in adding help at the linebacker spot, and they were able to trade for Kenneth Murray Jr. and sign Jack Sanborn in free agency. In the draft, they selected former Florida team captain Shemar James to assist in pass coverage responsibilities in the second level.
It would be a surprise if any of the three new faces along with second-year coverage and blitz specialist Marist Liufau fails to make it onto the 53-man roster. A healthy mix of veteran and youth presence along with a combination of run and pass specialists makes for a well-rounded room until the return of DeMarvion Overshown.
ON THE BUBBLE (3)
Damone Clark, Buddy Johnson, Justin Barron
It will be interesting to see if Eberflus decides to carry five or six linebackers, but if he decides to stick with five like the team has done in previous years, then only one of the three bubble players will have a shot at landing one of the final spots on the 53-man roster.
Damone Clark saw a major decline in snaps under defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer in 2024 after playing in a starting role in 2023. A new staff could be a huge benefit to the fourth-year man out of LSU, but heading into a contract year, the Cowboys could decide to cut ties if he doesn’t show any promise in camp.
Buddy Johnson has been a mainstay on special teams, but rookie undrafted signee Justin Barron could be coming for his role after a wildly productive college career at Syracuse. Johnson’s locker room presence could give him the slight edge he would need in a head-to-head battle, but this will be one that could determine who gets a roster spot and who will sit on the practice squad.
WORK TO DO (1)
Darius Harris
At the very least, Darius Harris should be able to find a spot on the practice squad like he did in 2024. But for him to carve a roster spot coming out of training camp, he would need to flash something that no player above him on the depth chart has, and that is tough to find right now.
Whether it’s having a veteran mindset after five years in the league, handling green dot responsibilities in the past as the defense’s lead on-field play-caller or being a fill-in starter, the Cowboys have all of those traits in other players in the room.
PUP/IR (1)
DeMarvion Overshown
When he is cleared to return from a torn ACL, MCL and LCL he suffered in December 2024, DeMarvion Overshown will immediately earn his roster spot back. But with that not expected to come until November at the earliest, Overshown will start training camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list before starting the regular season on the injured reserve (IR) list.