The Dallas Cowboys have a new sheriff in town.
Last week, Dallas traded for linebacker Kenneth Murray hoping to add some impact at the linebacker position, as well as a player who could keep things consistent in the middle of the field.
Fortunately for Dallas, that is exactly what Murray plans to do, and he is going to achieve it by winning over his teammates and leading by example.
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"I'm a firm believer that you can't ask people to do something that you're not doing. For me, it starts by leading by example," Murray said, via Jon Machota of The Athletic. "Just being able to connect everybody, especially on the defensive side. I think it's going to be really important for us to be able to communicate really well. When we're out on the field, connecting the front end and the back end... Understanding how I can prepare for certain things, certain looks and being able to communicate that on the field."
Tennessee Titans linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr. breaks up a pass intended for Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown.
Tennessee Titans linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr. breaks up a pass intended for Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown. / Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
In both of his previous stops with the Chargers and then more recently with the Titans, Murray did just that, racking up 107 tackles and a sack in his rookie season in 2020, as well as 107 tackles and three sacks in 2023. In 2024 with Tennessee, he also added a team-high 95 tackles, eight tackles for loss, five QB hits, and a career-best 3.5 sacks.
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Now, he aims to bring both that production and his ability to the defense in the right place at the right time to Dallas.
"I kind of feel like I'll be like that traffic cop in the middle of the street, just trying to get everybody lined up, make sure everybody knows what's coming or making sure we're in the right check and stuff like that, Murray continued. "That was kind of my role in Tennessee and I plan to be that same thing here."
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