Cowboys Urged to Make 'Major Upgrade' With $18 Million LB From NFC West

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Arizona Cardinals linebacker Kyzir White.

There is a knee jerk reaction to looking at the Dallas Cowboys depth chart on defense that goes along the lines of … wondering if the franchise is really interested in winning games.

There are big picture issues, like not having a contract extension for edge rusher and perennial NFL All-Pro Micah Parsons or paying do-nothing, always injured cornerback Trevon Diggs $67 million over the next 4 seasons.

There are smaller but just as important issues as well. Like having arguably the worst group of inside linebackers in the NFL. The best of them, DeMarvion Overshown, won’t even be back until the Thanksgiving Day Game at the earliest after his second catastrophic knee injury in 3 seasons.

Still, there are solutions to be had. Like going out and getting the best free agent inside linebacker still available with veteran Kyzir White, who started 17 games and had 137 tackles for the Arizona Cardinals in 2024 and would be a major upgrade at the position.

NFL has been back for 40 minutes and Kyzir White has already killed a man

Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski

put White at the top of his list of “Bargain Bin Free Agents” still available less than one month out from the start of training camp.

“All Kyzir White does is make tackles,” Sobleski wrote on July 3. “Even so, he’ll likely join his fourth team in five seasons upon signing a new free-agent contract. In White’s last four seasons between the Los Angeles Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals, he has averaged 120 tackles, including 110 or more during three of those years.”

White Switched Positions To Full-Time LB in NFL

The Chargers selected White in the fourth round (No. 119 overall) of the 2018 NFL draft and moved him to linebacker during rookie minicamp.

White earned a starting spot for the Chargers as a rookie but only played in 3 games before a knee injury. He had a breakthrough season in 2021 with 144 tackles, 2 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles and 7 TFL while starting all 17 games.

White spent 2022 with the Eagles on a 1-year, $3 million contract, playing all 17 games with 8 starts and 110 tackles while helping Philadelphia make it to the Super Bowl.

White signed a 2-year, $10 million contract with the Cardinals in March 2023 and had 90 tackles in 11 games in 2023 before a torn biceps tendon sidelined him for the final 6 games of the season.

Cowboys Criticized For Free Agent LB Signing

The Cowboys actually brought in a pair of linebackers this offseason who will both likely be starters for the season opener at the Eagles on Thursday, Sept. 4.

Dallas signed Jack Sanborn on a 1-year, $1.5 million free agent contract on March 12 and traded for Tennessee Titans linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr. on the same day.

Not everyone was a fan of the trade for Murray, who will make $7.5 million in 2025. Sanborn started 19 games over the last 3 seasons for the Chicago Bears.

“(The Cowboys) traded for Kenneth Murray Jr., who, I’m just not a fan of his game, to be honest,” ESPN’s Mina Kimes said on “The Mina Kimes Show” on June 4. “And I don’t think he solves any of their problem … that’s a very, very weak linebacker group. That’s been the Achilles heel of their defense, of course.”

Tony Adame covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders and Denver Broncos. A veteran sports writer and editor since 2004, his work has been featured at Stadium Talk, Yardbarker, NW Florida Daily News and Pensacola News Journal. More about Tony Adame