The Dallas Cowboys completely overhauled their defense in one offseason, and the most important move was bringing in Christian Parker to lead the unit. The former secondary coach of the Eagles is one of the most highly regarded defensive coaches in the league, and the expectation is that he’ll turn this defense around into a functional group right away.
But beyond the Parker hiring, the Cowboys made some significant changes on defense, adding players like Rashan Gary, Dee Winters, Caleb Downs, Jalen Thompson, Cobie Durant, etc. But there is one holdover from the Matt Eberflus era who could snatch one of the most important roles in Parker’s defense, and no one seems to be discussing him.
When the Cowboys made the trade for Dee Winters during Day 2 of the NFL Draft, the common belief was that he would pair up with DeMarvion Overshown to round out the starting linebacker duo. While that could still be the case, Overshown and Winters primarily play the same position as they are both weakside linebackers by nature.
Overshown and Winters are smaller linebackers who are at their best when they can run from sideline to sideline and chase the ball. Unfortunately, the Cowboys were in a tough spot after free agency as they missed out on Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean, who were their reported targets. Winters is still a good option, but there is some redundancy between him and Overshown.
The Cowboys have spent a good portion of their offseason workouts trying to find ways to make this pairing work, and it’s Overshown who has spent more time learning the ins and outs of playing middle linebacker. However, there is another linebacker on the team who could be a factor in the MLB job and that is none other than Shemar James, a second-year player from Florida.
Shemar James could be a Week 1 starter for the Dallas Cowboys
James was a fifth-round pick from a year ago and quickly found himself on the field during his rookie season. James did not play a single snap in the first three weeks of the season, but from Weeks 4-10, he played nearly 77% of the defensive snaps, according to Pro Football Reference. His play was up-and-down during that time, but he did showcase some flashes of starting-caliber play.
James went back to a reserve role in Week 11, but he became a full-time starter again for the final three games of the season. His overall PFF grade (39.9) ranked among the worst linebackers in the NFL, and there is no denying that he struggled.
But it’s also worth noting that he was one of the youngest players in the 2025 NFL Draft, and he wasn’t expected to see the field much as a rookie. He also led the team in tackles with 91, which was completely unexpected going into the season.
Not every player’s growth and development are linear in the NFL. Some players max out as rookies and others regress. But in the case of Shemar James, we should expect a 21-year old linebacker to improve in Year 2, especially after he earned so many snaps during his rookie season.
But the more fascinating part about James is that he might get a chance to be the Week 1 starting middle linebacker. While he isn’t significantly bigger than Overshown and Winters, he does have more experience playing inside. Â
James has been getting first-team reps, including some with Overshown out (wedding) and/or practicing with the second team. That doesn’t mean he’s a locked-in starter, but it does indicate that he is likely to be competing for a starting job or arguably to be the first backup off the bench.
The Cowboys appear to be pretty open to letting the linebacker position sort itself out during camp. And with Overshown and Winters both entering the final year of their rookie contracts, it makes sense to make this an open competition. That’s one of the main messages that Christian Parker has preached this offseason. No one will be given a job because of their draft status, contract, or tenure.
If James can prove that he is the most reliable and consistent middle linebacker on the roster, then there is a decent chance that he could open the season as a starter when the Cowboys take on the Giants on Sunday Night Football.
Keep an eye on James throughout training camp and the preseason, as he could be the one calling the plays and running Christian Parker’s new-look defense this year.
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