We are just days away from the Dallas Cowboys kicking off their first practice in Oxnard, California and the vibes couldn’t be any better. The Cowboys return all 11 starters on offense, including George Pickens, who will be available after signing his franchise tag.
But the real excitement comes on defense as 34-year-old Christian Parker is set to enter his first camp as a defensive coordinator. The Cowboys did a ton of work revamping that unit, but the hope is that Parker can be the biggest reason for the defensive turnaround. However, he can’t do it without talent.
If the Cowboys are going to significantly improve the worst defense in franchise history, they are going to need some stellar play from several young players and rookies. That includes Jaishawn Barham, who Dallas selected at the back end of Round 3. He was one of the most dynamic players in the draft, but now, he’s going to be asked to make a position change in the NFL.
In a recent article by Benjamin Solak of ESPN, he wrote about five non-first-round rookies who are worth paying attention to during training camp. One of the players who Solak included was Barham, who he compared to All-Pro linebacker Zack Baun in Philadelphia. Here is a snippet of his thoughts on the former Michigan star:
“Dallas plans to move the third-round pick back to stack linebacker, where plenty of snaps are up for grabs in a thin room that features Dee Winters and DeMarvion Overshown. But because Barham has experience rushing the passer, he can fill the Zack Baun/Jihaad Campbell role in Dallas -- an integral spot in the Eagles' defense that Parker helped coach for the past two seasons.”
Jaishawn Barham could be a huge X-factor for the Dallas Cowboys
Baun is a fascinating comparison for Barham, as both players were stars in college rushing the passer. During his final season at Wisconsin, Baun racked up 19.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks as he was primarily an EDGE rusher for the Badgers. But he never made the full-time transition to off-ball linebacker until he signed with Philadelphia, and that’s how he became an All-Pro under Vic Fangio.
It’s too much to assume that Barham will become as successful as Baun in Dallas, but it does give us an idea as to how he could be used during his rookie season. Solak makes the point that he’ll be watching how often Barham is used to rush the passer in training camp as that is his best skillset.
The hope is that Dee Winters and DeMarvion Overshown can lock down the two starting linebacker jobs and that would allow Barham time to sit and watch. However, there is a chance that Dallas needs him sooner rather than later because he is the only linebacker on the roster who has size and can play downhill.
Ideally, he can be a thumping middle linebacker who isn’t afraid to take on blocks, because that’s the type of linebacker the roster currently lacks at this point in the offseason. And with his ability to rush the passer, he gives Parker another weapon to use if the current group of EDGE rushers isn't winning consistently up front.
Keep an eye on Barham throughout training camp as his development as an off-ball linebacker should be fascinating to watch. And if it doesn’t go well, there is always the possibility that Parker moves him back to the edge, where he was the most successful in college.
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