The Cowboys are already staring at a linebacker problem, and it showed up fast.
One game into the 2026 season, Dallas has DeMarvion Overshown dealing with another injury after a rough start, Dee Winters getting targeted all afternoon in Week 1, and Jaishawn Barham potentially finding himself in the poor-effort doghouse. With Overshown expected to miss at least one or two games, the temptation to make a splash is obvious. Jerry Jones could always reach for a name like Bobby Wagner, the kind of veteran the fan base has been calling for all offseason to steady the middle of the defense and give the Cowboys a true MIKE.
That move should absolutely stay on the table. But the Cowboys also have a familiar option already in-house, and they ought to give him a real shot before going outside the building.
Justin Barron, currently on the practice squad, deserves a game - maybe two - to show what he can do. He stood out during the summer program, and Dallas can afford to see whether he can handle the role before making a bigger move.
The leash, though, can’t be long. This is a Super Bowl window, not a rebuild.
If Barron doesn’t answer the call, Wagner should be wearing navy, white, royal blue and silver by next week.
The need for help in the middle was hard to miss after the Week 1 primetime loss to the New York Giants. From the Cowboys’ player and coach media sessions, one message came through loud and clear: the communication wasn’t good enough on Sunday. That’s exactly the kind of problem Wagner is built to clean up.
He’d bring more than production. A veteran with that kind of resume commands attention, sets the tone, and says exactly what he sees. And in today’s NFL, nobody has spent more time living at the MIKE linebacker spot than Wagner.
There’s also a fit issue that makes him even more appealing. Wagner isn’t the same type of player as Overshown or Winters, who are better suited to play WILL. When Overshown gets back, he could actually benefit from sliding to the weak side, where his speed and athleticism can shine in space while Wagner handles the dirty work inside.
That’s the part Dallas can’t ignore: Overshown and Winters aren’t built to fight through traffic, take on guards and centers, and consistently make plays in the middle. Wagner can. Barham may eventually grow into that role, but he isn’t there yet, and the 2026 Cowboys don’t have the luxury of waiting for development to catch up.
Still, Barron should get the first crack. At 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds, he has the size to play inside, and his background as a college wide receiver and defensive back suggests he may have some real coverage ability in the middle of the field. That could also free Winters and Barham to play faster downhill, especially if Christian Parker moves Caleb Downs into the box more.
Barron already flashed during joint practices and the preseason, and he came just short of making the 53-man roster. Before Dallas brings in someone like Wagner and has to clear another roster spot with Overshown out for a week or two, it makes sense to see what Barron can do in game action.
But if it doesn’t work quickly, the Cowboys shouldn’t drag their feet. If Barron doesn’t play well this week, or if he struggles once he’s on the field, then Wagner needs to be the next call.
Starting 0-2 is bad enough. Starting 0-2 in the division before the schedule really tightens up would be worse.
Dallas can’t afford that.
In Other News...
Former Cowboys Pass Rusher Returns With Something To Prove In Dallas
Dorance Armstrong is set to make his 2026 debut Sunday against the Cowboys, a familiar opponent for a pass rusher who spent years in Dallas before moving on to Washington. After serving a one-game suspension and working back from the torn ACL that wiped out most of last season, Armstrong enters the matchup with a fresh chance to reestablish himself in a game that still carries some extra edge for everyone involved.
Washington's staff has said it is confident Armstrong is ready to go, and the plan is to rotate him with the rest of the pass-rush group to keep his workload manageable. For Dallas, that means facing a former defensive end who knows the building, the personnel and the stage, even if the bigger question now is how much of Armstrong's old burst has returned after such a long absence. [Read more 🡒]
Jerry Jones Just Raised The Stakes For Dallas' Shaky Defense
Jerry Jones didnt sound interested in pretending the Cowboys defensive performance in Week 1 was anything close to where it needs to be. The team owner acknowledged Dallas underestimated the Giants in the opener, and with Washington up next, he pointed to the defense as the area most likely to show a better version of itself in a game that already feels important for setting the tone of the season.
The challenge for Dallas is that belief and execution are two different things, and the defense has given plenty of reasons for skepticism already. Jones is framing the Commanders matchup as a chance to reset, but until the Cowboys actually string together a cleaner outing, every promise of improvement comes with a layer of doubt that the schedule will quickly test. [Read more 🡒]
Jerry Jones May Soon Face A Cowboys Decision He Hates
Brian Schottenheimers second season in Dallas already carries the sort of early pressure that tends to come with this franchise, even if the Cowboys have historically shown more patience with head coaches than most. After going 7-9-1 in his first year, Schottenheimer watched the team open a new defensive chapter by moving on from Matt Eberflus and turning the unit over to Christian Parker, a change meant to steady a side of the ball that has been a major point of concern.
Instead, the defense stumbled in Week 1 against the New York Giants, and that is where the unease begins to creep in for a team that cannot afford another losing year. There is already speculation about Schottenheimers seat if the record goes the wrong way again, and for Jerry Jones, the uncomfortable part may be less about making a change than having to consider one at all. [Read more 🡒]