Christian Parker’s arrival has already changed the shape of the Cowboys’ defense, and Marist Liufau may be one of the biggest names caught in the shuffle.
Dallas spent the offseason overhauling a unit that allowed the second-most yards per game last year at 391.9, and the changes have been everywhere. The Cowboys hired former Philadelphia Eagles secondary coach Christian Parker as defensive coordinator in January, then added new starters at nose tackle, edge, inside linebacker, strong safety, and nickel back.
That kind of reset has left little room for a former third-round pick who never fully carved out a role at his original spot. Liufau, the former Notre Dame linebacker, is being moved to edge rusher after struggling in his sophomore season. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer announced the switch, and it sends Liufau into a crowded room at a position Dallas already looks deep at on paper.
The move could give him a fresh start, but it could also be the beginning of the end in Dallas. Moe Moton of Bleacher Report believes Liufau could become an early trade candidate and says the Cowboys might be able to move him for a late 2027 pick if the opportunity comes.
"If Liufau struggles with a move to the edge, the Cowboys could shop him before final roster cuts. Teams in need of a rotational pass-rusher may see untapped potential in the 25-year-old at his new position."
The challenge for Liufau is twofold: he has to learn a new position while also getting comfortable in Parker’s scheme. That’s a lot to ask, especially for a player trying to rebound from a quiet second season. Schottenheimer said Liufau is embracing the change, telling the official Cowboys' website that he’s ready for it.
“We’ve talked to Marist about it. He was excited. He can eat a little bit more to get his weight back up a little bit,” Schottenheimer said.
At 238 pounds, Liufau is now the lightest edge rusher in the Cowboys’ system, so adding size will matter if he wants to hold up in that role. And even if he does, he’s not starting from a position of strength on the depth chart.
Three players are listed ahead of him at edge rusher right now: Rashan Gary, James Houston, and LT Overton.
Gary brings the clearest path to a starting role. He spent his first seven seasons with the Green Bay Packers and has 46.5 sacks and 270 tackles on his resume.
Houston, meanwhile, just posted one of the most productive seasons on the Dallas defense with 5.5 sacks, which ranked second on the team. He came into the league as a sixth-round pick with the Detroit Lions in 2022, though injuries have followed him.
Then there’s Overton, the rookie fourth-rounder from Alabama. He’s described as highly versatile, and he could see game action as the season goes on.
Taken together, those names give Dallas more upside than Liufau offers right now. His attitude has been good, but the roster picture isn’t flattering. After two seasons without a major impact at inside linebacker and a sharp drop in production from year one to year two, Liufau looks like a player trying to fight his way back into relevance while the Cowboys keep moving forward without him.
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