DeMarvion Overshown keeps flashing the kind of talent that changes a defense, but his body keeps getting in the way.
For the Cowboys linebacker, the upside is obvious. He can run sideline to sideline, bring pressure as a pass rusher, and use his background as a former safety to make plays in coverage.
When he’s on the field, Dallas is better for it. The problem is that staying on the field has been the battle from the moment his career began.
Overshown was drafted in the third round with the 90th overall pick in 2023, and the excitement around him in Dallas was immediate. That buzz disappeared almost as quickly as it arrived.
He never played a snap as a rookie after tearing the ACL in his left knee in August during the preseason. The Cowboys still went 12-5 and reached the playoffs, but there was no way to know how much stronger that defense might have been with him available.
He finally put together a breakout in 2024, even though the Cowboys as a team struggled. Overshown finished with 90 tackles, eight tackles for loss, five sacks, five quarterback hits, one interception returned for a touchdown, four pass breakups, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.
Then the injury bug hit again. He missed the final month of that season after tearing the ACL, MCL, and PCL in his right knee.
That setback pushed him out of the first 10 games of the 2025 season. He returned in Week 11 against the Las Vegas Raiders and recorded 28 tackles over the six games he played, but he was back on the shelf for the final two games because of a concussion.
Now Dallas has played only one game in 2026, and Overshown is expected to miss 1-2 weeks with a hamstring issue. The timeline is short, but it fits the same pattern that has followed him throughout his career.
That is what makes this so frustrating for both sides. Overshown has the ability to be a difference-maker, and the Cowboys defense has needed that kind of player for the past few seasons. Instead, his career has been defined by one setback after another.
The timing also matters. He is in a contract year, and another season packed with injuries would force Dallas to take a hard look at his future.
The hope is that this latest issue is the last one he has to deal with after he returns in a week or two. If it isn’t, Overshown could be playing somewhere else in 2027.
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