Before the 2025 season, Jack Sanborn followed in the footsteps of Matt Eberflus after leaving the Chicago Bears. Poor play and injuries derailed his year, but there may be reason for optimism moving forward.
That's only if Dallas takes the leap of faith that fans are hoping for and hires Jim Leonhard to be its next defensive coordinator. Leonhard is currently the assistant head coach and defensive pass game coordinator for the Denver Broncos, with his focus on helping guide Denver to a Super Bowl after it advanced to the AFC Championship Game.
Leonhard has a connection to Sanborn dating back to Wisconsin, where Leonhard served as defensive coordinator, and Sanborn developed into an All-Big Ten player. It may be a long shot, but the Cowboys could view that familiarity as reason to give Sanborn one last chance.
Cowboys may be able to keep Jack Sanborn if Jim Leonhard is hired as the next DC
An unrestricted free agent, Sanborn played his best football at Wisconsin, earning third-team All-Big Ten and first-team All-Big Ten honors. During Leonhard's time with the Badgers, he was one of five finalists for the Broyles Award, which recognizes the top assistant coach in college football.
This isn't necessarily to spotlight Leonhard's resumé, but rather to show that Sanborn was in good hands with Leonhard as his coach. Sanborn showed some promise when paired up with Eberflus in Chicago, but in Dallas, Eberflus failed everybody. He didn't just fail Sanborn.
In 2023 and 2024, Sanborn earned Pro Football Focus grades of 71.1 and 71.5, respectively. Those are really strong numbers, but with Dallas, his grade plummeted to 56.3 this season. He admittedly only played in six games, but he did not impress in a limited sample size.
Sanborn's 2025 season was cut short by a groin injury, and he didn't show much when he was on the field. Once dubbed the Cowboys' "best-kept secret" as a run-stopping menace, Sanborn could not overcome what plagued the rest of the defense.
Landing Leonhard would be a tremendous hire across the board, but it could also provide Sanborn with the lifeline he needs. Leonhard may desire more athleticism in a linebacker, but their Wisconsin connection could buy the 25-year-old one more year.
Sanborn isn't a perfect player, but he's played good football in the NFL. Leonhard might be the coordinator to help him rediscover his pre-2025 form.