5 Dallas Cowboys who will improve under new regime

1. Jaylon Smith, Linebacker

The Cowboys took a huge risk on Jaylon Smith who came into the 2016 NFL Draft with doubts about his future due to a terrible knee injury. Still, the Jones family made the move to take him in the second round and after he redshirted as a rookie, Smith proved them right. He’s been able to play in every game since 2017 and earned a big contract extension last season.

Now with a new coaching staff coming in, there’s more excitement about what Smith can do for them in 2020. Reports from Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News suggest that Nolan could be moving Smith from the middle linebacker spot to the weakside. This is significant as it would free Smith up to get after the quarterback more often, something he has proven to be more than capable of doing.

For Dallas, this is possible due to the presence of Leighton Vander Esch, who is capable of handling the MIKE duties that Smith has been taking care of. Dallas also still has Sean Lee under contract, another player who has been able to play all over the field, as he has started at all three positions and could even take on the MIKE role if LVE were to miss any time.

Smith’s effectiveness in 2019 was down from the prior season, but the defense as a whole struggled often. He should benefit from the change as much as anyone and 2020 could be the season that erases any doubt about his abilities.