Cowboys Defensive Shakeup: 4 Players Need Snaps

Marist Liufau: The Jack-of-All-Trades Linebacker

Marist Liufau is built to stay on the field for all three downs. He can drop into hook and curl zones, carry tight ends up the seam, and even come downhill to stop running backs.

Opponents have been targeting Dallas’ linebackers on angle routes and play-action roll-outs, where Kenneth Murray Jr. and Jack Sanborn have struggled to match up.

Liufau’s ability to close quickly and tackle in space would cut down on yards after the catch and force quarterbacks to make tighter-window throws.

The added bonus? His leadership skills could stabilize communication issues that have plagued Dallas’ coverage rotations. With Liufau as the defensive signal-caller, this unit can play faster and react instead of getting caught flat-footed.

Shemar James: The Tone-Setter

James might not be the rangiest linebacker, but he brings a physical, no-nonsense approach that this defense needs.

Dallas has been too soft on underneath throws, allowing receivers to turn quick slants into 10- and 12-yard gains. James can change that with aggressive downhill tackling and by taking away the easy yards.

He’s exactly the kind of player who can force second-and-long situations, which allows the pass rush to get creative.

Juanyeh Thomas: The Playmaker in the Secondary

Dallas has only one interception through three games, and it came on a tipped ball. They need a ball hawk who can create takeaways, and Juanyeh Thomas has shown that ability in the preseason.

He plays with anticipation, understands route concepts, and delivers hits that separate receivers from the ball.

Putting Thomas on the field next to Malik Hooker would allow Hooker to stay deep, protecting against the very explosive passes that have been crushing the team.

Donovan Wilson: Disguised Weapon

Wilson is the enforcer of this defense, but he is a liability in coverage and consistently struggles to stay in his assigned area. Keeping him in deep coverage negates his physicality and run-stopping ability.

Moving him to a hybrid linebacker role unlocks his full skill set—blitzing off the edge, mugging A-gaps, or dropping short to take away quick routes.

This would also allow defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus to get more exotic with his pressures, confusing opposing quarterbacks and creating turnovers.

Why This Change Fixes the Passing Problem

This is not a minor tweak—it’s a shift toward personnel-driven solutions:

• Coverage integrity: Liufau matches up with backs/TEs, closing the soft spots in the middle.
• Yards-after-catch control: James and Wilson tackle in space, turning 12-yard gains into 4-yard stops.
• Explosive play prevention: Thomas and Hooker can play two-high looks without coverage busts.
• Pass rush synergy: Wilson’s hybrid presence creates disguised pressures that speed up QB reads.

The result would be fewer chunk plays, more forced third downs, and more opportunities for Dallas’ defensive line to do damage.