The Dallas Cowboys will face the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night at Lambeau Field, and coming off what was a disastrous showing against the Buccaneers in Week 5, the hope among many was that there would be changes coming. Indeed, there were two coaching tweaks that the team announced, bringing in a defensive consultant–veteran Mike Pettine–to help first-year coordinator Christian Parker, as well moving Parker to from the sideline to the coaching booth above the field. But in releasing the week’s depth chart, the Cowboys appear to be doing frustratingly little with actual personnel. And that includes returning one of the breakout stars of the NFL‘s rookie class, Jaishawn Barham.
Going back to training camp, Barham has announced himself as an aggressive, physical presence in the middle of the Cowboys defense. He took over at Mike linebacker when DeMarvion Overshown was injured in Week 1, and of the team’s main rotation at the position–Overshown and Dee Winters, the starters to open the year, as well as Shemar James–Barham has clearly been the best.
Cowboys Return to DeMarvion Overshown
But someone should alert the Cowboys to that fact. Because as Overshown’s hamstring injury has gotten better and he nears a return to action–many thought he would play in Week 5 before he was ultimately scratched because it is a short week–he is back on the starter at Mike, with Winters remaining ahead of Barham, starting on the weak side.
Barham, the team’s third-round pick out of Michigan, has his flaws, no doubt. But the eye test will tell you he has had as much positive defensive impact as any player on that side of the ball, and that he plays with a fierceness that the rest of defense could learn from.
As the fan account “Cowboys Fan Talk” wrote on Twitter/X: “Hold up Barham is benched? But Winters, Bland and Ferguson still starting, we are a not a serious organization.”
Jaishawn Barham the Top-Rated LB on the Roster
Pro Football Focus grades can be misleading, especially for linebackers, but the site’s grades do back up the Cowboys eye test. Barham is the highest graded linebacker on the team, at 65.7, rated No. 31 of 72 NFL linebackers. Winters is 47.0, which is 68th of 72. Overshown does not have enough snaps to qualify but his 29.4 grade would make him the worst linebacker in the league.
The Cowboys have been vocal about wanting to make changes, and early week depth charts are not binding. But there remains plenty of reason to question this team’s decision-making.
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