Cowboys have 3 clear linebacker locks entering camp

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Cowboys have 3 clear linebacker locks entering camp

Originally posted on DallasCowboysCommunity
By Archana Ramakrishnan | Last updated Jul 23, 2026 3:52 PM ET

Dallas Cowboys may still have questions at the linebacker position. Still, one analyst believes the core of the position is already set, as the Cowboys appear to have three players firmly locked into the roster.

During an episode of Cowboys Report by Chat Sports, host Tom Downey said the linebacker room has three safe roster locks in DeMarvion Overshown, Dee Winters and rookie Jaishawn Barham, leaving no room for a new addition heading into the training camp.

“In the end, the Cowboys might not feel the need for a linebacker – I feel that [DeMarvion] Overshown, [Dee] Winters, and [Jaishawn] Barham are good enough,” Tom Downey said. “If that ends up not being the case, I hope the Cowboys spare no expense and simply go get the better linebacker, not the cheap linebacker.”

Tom Downey, during an episode of Cowboys Reports by Chat Sports, expanded on the roster projection and depth chart analysis by Nick Harris of Fort Worth Star-Telegram, where he identified Overshown, Winters and rookie Barham as the three fixed roster spots at LB.

The Cowboys bolstered their linebacker corps during the 2026 NFL Draft by trading for former San Francisco 49ers Dee Winters and selecting Michigan’s Jaishawn Barham in the third round.

Overshown is expected to take on the role of a MIKE linebacker and could even wear the green dot, rather than returning to weakside linebacker, where he previously thrived.

Former fifth-round pick Shemar James, undrafted rookie Langston Patterson, and veteran Curtis Robinson are all waiting for their opportunity behind them.

If Jerry Jones thinks experience is missing, Downey proposed Washington Commanders LB Bobby Wagner and former New York Giants LB Bobby Okereke as two alternative free-agent options for the Cowboys if the “three safe” options fail to deliver.

Bobby Wagner emerges as the preferred veteran option

Tom Downey, in the same episode of Cowboys Report by Chat Sports, preferred Wagner as the “better linebacker,” as he brings in elite run defense and leadership, addressing the team’s need for a reliable presence in the middle of the defense.

“But I think Bobby Wagner is the better player and might be better for what Dallas wants in the linebacker room,” Downey said during the same episode. “I think they’re okay having a guy who’s a better run-support player than a coverage linebacker, at least for this upcoming season.”

Downey believes that at 36, Wagner’s experience as a proven run defender and leader makes him a better fit for the Cowboys, as he feels Dallas values a strong run-support linebacker more than a coverage specialist heading into the 2026 season.

Add to that a Super Bowl win as well as 2025 Walter Payton Man of the Year honors, and 2,000 career tackles, and you can understand why Wagner makes sense.

While Downey views Okereke as a cost-effective alternative, he believes Wagner’s reliability and consistent production make him the safer option if the Cowboys look for a free agency addition.

This article first appeared on DallasCowboysCommunity and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: