![\"Mandatory](\"https:\/\/platform.bloggingtheboys.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2025\/08\/imagn-26818697.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0.0051834957495345,0,99.989633008501,100\")
<\/a><\/p>\nMandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
Second-year player Marist Liufau came out of the gates with a statement game against the Rams to start the preseason, and looked every bit like the ascending player he was throughout his rookie season. Liufau\u2019s nose for the football and relentless effort make him a fit in every scheme, and the Cowboys realized this quickly with plays on both defense and special teams. Liufau\u2019s playing time dipped in the second exhibition against the Ravens, making way for rookie Shemar James to see the field more, as well as veteran Damone Clark. James was the Cowboys leader in snaps the following week at home against the Falcons, and had an interception. Darius Harris and Buddy Johnson were also a heavy part of the rotation, but both are now on the practice squad.<\/p>\n
The Cowboys made a lot of strides defensively in just three preseason games under Eberflus, and now it will be up to the players they haven\u2019t seen this preseason to continue this growth at an even higher rate. The area they looked the best in against the Falcons was dropping into coverage between the second and third levels to take throwing lanes away, and getting help from the pass rush with sacks from James Houston and Perrion Winfrey was certainly welcome. With Murray sitting out the entire preseason and Sanborn warming up with juts 21 snaps (19 defense, 2 special teams) against the Ravens, the Cowboys must feel like both players are ready to help them right away.<\/p>\n
Sanborn and Murray made it through Oxnard training camp, the preseason, and ongoing practices at The Star without much buzz. Sanborn is an adept coverage player with the ability to also shed blocks along the line of scrimmage and play the run. Murray is more of a gap-shooting linebacker when playing downhill, but can show off great lateral range in coverage to make plays on the ball as well.<\/p>\n
With Liufau also rightfully earning a spot at linebacker, and Clark being a savvy veteran that always finds a way to get in on the action, the Cowboys have a strong depth chart to start the season at linebacker, yet concerns about both their interior run defense and pass defense as a whole remains high. The Cowboys also expect DeMarvion Overshown to factor into the defense in a big way from the linebacker position later in the year, but for now their first-year acquisitions will have to be even more prepared to play a lion\u2019s share of snaps. Shemar James is still a rookie best kept in a rotational role early on in his career.<\/p>\n