Injuries are once again reshaping the Dallas Cowboys’ defense, and this time they’re opening the door for rookie linebacker Jaishawn Barham to get more work on the edge.
Dallas heads into its Week 10 home game against the San Francisco 49ers still dealing with a long list of defensive ailments, a problem that has made life tougher for defensive coordinator Christian Parker. Even with a 4-5 record, the Cowboys remain in the mix for the NFC East and a playoff berth, but the defense has to keep piecing things together with the trade deadline now behind them.
That reality is pushing Barham back into a bigger role. Parker said Thursday that the rookie will see more action at outside linebacker as the Cowboys navigate injuries at edge rusher, including Donovan Ezeiruaku’s ankle issue, which puts him in danger of missing Sunday’s game.
“Next man up, we have some guys who have played significant steps throughout the year,” Parker said, per ESPN’s Todd Archer. “That’s a rotational position.
Then we’ll get Jaishawn more involved there. He’s kind of been involved there in some spotlight duty already with some different packages we’ve had throughout the season.
We’ll be able to deploy him there some too.”
Barham’s snap count has dropped sharply after an active start to the season. He played only three defensive snaps in Week 9 against the Indianapolis Colts, following totals of 21 in Week 7 and 16 in Week 8. He has started six games at off-ball linebacker this year, but his role has shrunk in recent weeks.
Still, there have been signs of what Dallas liked in the first place. Barham flashed in the preseason and showed moments early in the regular season. Through nine games, he has 35 total tackles, including 20 solo stops, along with four tackles for loss and one quarterback hit on 325 defensive snaps.
The rookie appears to have run into the usual wall that comes with an NFL season, and the Cowboys’ injury situation has only tightened the squeeze on his role. Now, with the defense short-handed, Dallas is asking him to take on more.
If Barham can make noise as a pass rusher, it could simplify things for him and let him play with a little more freedom. Getting to Brock Purdy would be a welcome jolt for both the rookie and a Cowboys defense trying to find a way to slow San Francisco in Week 10.
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