The Dallas Cowboys' linebacker room looks quite a bit different than it did at this time last year. And fans of America's Team should be counting their lucky stars that it does, as many of the players they lost or didn't re-sign fall firmly under the umbrella of "addition by subtraction."
But that doesn't mean that Dallas and first-year defensive coordinator Christian Parker don't still have work to do in the heart of their defense. Alongside DeMarvion Overshown, the Cowboys don't have a lot of proven talent. Dee Winters is a solid piece, but probably best-suited for a rotational role.
While most figured that Jerry Jones and Co. would address the off-ball linebacker situation in a loaded 2026 NFL Draft class, the event came and went without any additions at the spot. This has led many to clamor for a veteran free agent like Bobby Wagner or even Bobby Okereke.
FanSided's Jake Beckman had a different idea, however.
Saints LB Pete Werner named trade target Dallas Cowboys
Beckman recently produced a piece for FanSided.com in which he detailed one trade that each of the 32 NFL teams should make. The Cowboys were urged to kick the tires on New Orleans Saints linebacker Pete Werner.
"This offseason, the Cowboys hired Christian Parker to be their new defensive coordinator. He spent the last two seasons in Philadelphia as the defensive backs coach under Vic Fangio, so it’s safe to assume that he’s going to run some type of Fangio scheme.Â
"Even though he’s a DBs guy, it’d be crazy for him not to realize how important the linebacker play was in those two seasons of elite defenses. The problem for him right now is that the Cowboys’ linebackers are bad and there aren’t really any good linebackers who are available… So they’re going to have to do a little bit of bargain hunting.Â
"Pete Werner could be that guy. He’s not great, but he is a starting-caliber linebacker who has played in Brandon Staley’s bastardized version of the Fangio scheme. That’s just about as good as you’re going to get at this point."
Now, Werner being more of a WILL linebacker makes it more difficult to envision him playing next to Overshown. But at the very least, for what shouldn't be an expensive package, Dallas could land a solid third linebacker to rotate in with Overshwon and Winters. And that is valuable.
Let's not sell Werner short, though. He learned early in his career from great backers like Zack Baun and Kwon Alexander, and his prior relationship with Sean Payton surely intrigues Parker. Plus, Werner has some serious skins on the wall at the NFL level with bona fide production.
In five seasons, he has played over 3,300 defensive snaps and racked up 408 tackles, including 18 for a loss, while nabbing an interception, breaking up 10 passes, forcing two fumbles and recovering five. Werner isn't a high-end producer, but he is more than capable of playing a significant role.
To be fair, Werner did regress a bit last season, recording his highest missed tackle rate and highest quarterback rating allowed when targeted in his career. But it was his first year in a new system, and perhaps he isn't a clean fit for it. Maybe Parker's suits him better.
The only way for the Cowboys to find out is to inquire. And with a likely low price tag attached to Werner in any trade discussions, Dallas could make the plunge. It may not be who the fanbase has had its eyes fixated on, but it would be a solid addition, and that's all you can ask for at this juncture.
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