1. Todd Davis, Linebacker
Another devastating loss for the Cowboys came when Leighton Vander Esch was seen leaving the field. After suffering through an injury-riddled season a year ago, LVE was supposed to be healthy and ready to dominant again for Dallas. That didn’t happen though as he’s headed to the injured reserve with a broken collarbone.
Dallas has hopes that Vander Esch can return this season but the loss is still a major blow. He and Jaylon Smith were supposed to be a huge part of what makes this defense work in 2020 and with him out, there’s a major hole.
The good news for the Cowboys is that Smith is still there. Also, Joe Thomas is a better player than he gets credit for. But beyond that, there’s not a whole lot to speak of. For that reason, they should look to free agency for a player such as Todd Davis.
For the past four seasons, Davis has been a starter for the Denver Broncos. He’s been one of the top linebackers in a very respectable defense and has more than 100 tackles in each of the past two years. He was cut just ahead of the regular season, and a 28 years old, he should still have a lot left in the tank. Right now, there’s not a whole lot more Dallas can do, and adding somebody like Davis at this point would be a blessing.
Dallas has a lot of football left to play and they can still be very successful. Having said that, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to look to free agency to help them make up for some of their recent losses.