To be sure, the Dallas Cowboys have not exactly thrived, defensively, when DeMarvion Overshown has been on the field at middle linebacker. But the team has not thrived on the field at all with the current defense–Overshown or no Overshown–so it would seem that the opportunity to get a starter back on the field would be a bonus, no matter what his Pro Football Focus rating might be (it’s terrible, for what it’s worth, at 29.4, which would make him the worst linebacker in the NFL if he had enough snaps to qualify).
Overshown suffered a hamstring injury in Week 1 against the Giants and has been out since. He was not placed on the injured reserve–though he could have been in retrospect–and it was thought that he was close to a return last week for the disaster against Tampa Bay. Now, though, he appears on track to return for this week’s game against the Packers.
Said Overshown when asked if he would play: “I can’t answer that question, but I feel good.”
Cowboys ‘Don’t Want to Rush’
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer, speaking to reporters on Monday, said the team will continue to be cautious with Overshown and others, but that the point of the practice was more to shake off rust than to make playing status determinations.
“We do a good job, we listen to players,” Schottenheimer said. “We obviously listen to the sports science department. I think the reason right now it’s TBD is today was more of a get them moving again, they have had three days off we want them out there running around a little bit. We will know a lot more come Wednesday and even Thursday as we get into full pads.
“We just don’t want to rush anything. We’ve got time. I think that is why we are viewing it that way.”
DeMarvion Overshown: ‘Look at Ourselves in the Mirror’
The Cowboys defense, again, has been the worst in the NFL this year, and there is some question as to whether the team would be better if Overshown returned as a starter or if the team stuck with rookie Jaishawn Barham in the Mike linebacker spot.
But Overshown said one of the focuses on Monday was just getting players back together. He said there was a team defensive meeting among the players to hash out issues holding the group back.
Said Overshown, via Jon Machota of The Athletic: “Look at ourselves in a mirror. We put what we wanted our standard to be … on the board. We went bullet point by bullet point: Are we holding up to this? Are we being this? As a unit, how can we get closer? What is it?
“Just hearing from all of us. It really wasn’t like a fire drill conversation. It was more so what can I do to help you? What do I expect from you on Sundays or even Monday walkthroughs? We got to talk to each other like that because the ship is only going to go as far as the weakest person on the boat.
Cowboys Injured Starter Still Uncertain for Week 6