With veteran linebacker Eric Kendricks hitting free agency earlier this month, the Dallas Cowboys had a decision to make on either bringing back the lead communicator of their defense from 2024 or seek out his replacement on the open market.
Well, they did neither.
In a trade with the Tennessee Titans on March 12, the Cowboys sent a sixth-round draft pick in exchange for veteran linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr. and a seventh-round pick. The Oklahoma product has played for the Titans and the Los Angeles Chargers across his five-year career, but he joins his childhood favorite team in a move that he never saw coming.
“It was extremely surprising for me,” Murray said on Monday. “I got the call, they told me what they were doing. As soon as I got off the call, I started connecting with people in the Cowboys organization. At the same time, I was ecstatic because playing for the Dallas Cowboys is a big deal. I’m excited to be able to come here, bring my brand of football, fly around and make plays.”
“I grew up a Cowboys fan, my whole family are Cowboys fans. It’s a dream for me playing here.”
A native of the Houston area and a graduate of Fort Bend Elkins High School, Murray returns to the Lone Star State to play with former Oklahoma teammate CeeDee Lamb. The two have been connected throughout their football careers, as it’s a full circle moment to be playing alongside a fellow Houston area native once again.
“Me and CeeDee were recruited in the same class, went to Oklahoma the same year,” he said. “Went to the NFL the same year. We’ve played a lot of ball together. He’s a tremendous player. I’m just looking forward to linking up with him here, winning football games with him here.”
Communication is something that Murray is hoping to bring to the Dallas defense over anything else. As a team captain in Tennessee, Murray took on a bigger task as a leader on and off the field in 2024 that he hopes to carry over into his time with the Cowboys.
“It’s going to be really important to be able to communicate very well,” he said. “When we’re out there on the field, [we have to be] communicating between the backend and the frontend to make sure we’re all connected. Understanding how to prepare for certain things, certain looks and how to communicate that on the field. I’ll be that traffic cop in the middle of the street getting everybody lined up so everyone knows what’s coming. That was my role in Tennessee and I plan to be that same thing here.”
Off the field, a similar mentality exists in his leadership style, but he’ll be the first to say that it starts with him.
“I plan to just be a guy that can lead by example, for one,” Murray said. “When I get around more guys and into this team more as we get closer to the season, everything starts with leading by example first. I’m a firm believer that you can’t ask people to do something that you’re not doing.”
Murray was one of six outside acquisitions that the Cowboys made on the defensive side of the ball in the first week of free agency. Looking at the roster and what already exists, Murray is excited about the potential.
“I feel like we got every piece we need to be a dominant defense,” he said. “Looking at the personnel, we’re going to be a very fast defense, a very violent defense. I think those are the first impressions.”
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Nick Harris is the Dallas Cowboys beat reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He has experience working on the beat for DallasCowboys.com and previous work experience at Yahoo Sports/Rivals and 247Sports.