Getty The Cowboys could choose to move on from Leighton Vander Esch.
The Dallas Cowboys could move on from a former Pro Bowl “centerpiece.”
As the Cowboys enter training camp, there are several players on the roster who could be moved for future draft pick assets. According to Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report, former Pro Bowl linebacker Leighton Vander Esch could be a trade candidate prior to training camp.
Knox mentions how Vander Esch peaked during his rookie campaign back in 2018 when he picked up a Pro Bowl berth after ranking third in the league in tackles with 140 combined stops. The potential of 2021 fourth-round draft pick Jabril Cox unseating the veteran linebacker as a starter combined with his one-year deal makes a viable candidate to be traded.
“While Dallas may have Vander Esch penciled in as a starter alongside Micah Parsons and Anthony Brown, it brought him back on a modest one-year, $2 million deal this offseason,” says Knox. “If 2021 fourth-round pick Jabril Cox shows enough progress in his recovery from a torn ACL, Vander Esch could become expendable.”
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Cowboys Could Flip Vander Esch for Draft Pick
The 26-year-old linebacker could be flipped for as high as a Day 3 pick, says Knox. That’s not bad value for a linebacker who hasn’t come close to replicating the production he posted during his rookie season.
“If Cox looks like starting material, Dallas could try flipping Vander Esch to a linebacker-needy team willing to bet on a return to Pro Bowl form,” says Knox. “The Cowboys couldn’t realistically expect more than a high Day 3 pick for Vander Esch, but that’s solid value for a someone who may now be a one-year role player in Dallas at best.”
After being limited to just 19 games during the 2019-2020 seasons due to neck and collarbone surgeries, Vander Esch managed to play in all 17 games last season while racking up 77 tackles. According to Pro Football Focus, Vander Esch posted a superb 84.4 defensive grade in 2018, ranking fifth among all starting linebackers that season.
Since his breakout rookie campaign, Vander Esch has posted mediocre production — at best. He posted defensive grades of 58.4 in 2019, 50.6 in 2020 and 63.5 in 2021. During the 2021 season, Vander Esch ranked 40th among all linebackers with at least 100 snaps.
Cowboys Can’t Trade Vander Esch Until Cox Steps Up
It’s clear that the Cowboys are using Vander Esch as a stopgap option until Cox proves he’s ready to take over the mantle. Cox played only nine defensive snaps last season, seeing the vast majority of his playing time on special teams before a torn ACL ended his season.
As Knox notes, the Cowboys are high on Cox’s upside.
“I think he is coming along great,” Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones said, per Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News. “Should be a big plus for us this year. Will fill right in where Keanu [Neal] left off.”
While the Cowboys certainly hope their fourth-round pick — Cox is owed under $3 million over the next three seasons — leaps over Vander Esch sooner rather than later, he’ll have to prove it during training camp.
If the 24-year-old Cox shows he’s still green, Dallas cannot afford to trade its veteran middle linebacker.