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DeMarvion Overshown #0 of the Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys obviously spent the last few months trying hard to remake the team’s defense, which was worst in the league in points allowed (511) last season, and set a franchise record for futility in that category along the way. While there is much to project and be excited about, one of the concerns about the unit is that it is, really, mostly just projections at this point. And DeMarvion Overshown is one of the bigger–and most essential–projections on this roster.
There are others, of course. The team is projecting pass rusher Rashan Gary to return to form after finishing last season with no sacks in his final seven games. It’s projecting a healthy cornerback DaRon Bland, and an Week-1-Ready rookie Caleb Downs. It’s projecting linebacker Dee Winters to be able to back up his very good 2025 season (his first as a starter). Jalen Thompson, Cobie Durant, Malachi Lawrence–it is a roster pocked with high potential but a significant number of “ifs.”
But defensive coordinator Christian Parker does seem to understand he may be asking too much of Overshown, the team’s third-round pick in 2023.
Overshown has struggled to stay on the field for the Cowboys since he was drafted, playing just 19 games since missing his rookie year with a knee injury. When he has played, he has shown himself to be an active, aggressive playmaker from the linebacker spot–though mistake-prone.
This season, after the Cowboys struck out on adding a true new middle linebacker (Nakobe Dean, Quay Walker and Devin Lloyd were among the targets), Dallas instead pivoted to a small trade for Winters, leaving open the question of who would play the strong linebacker spot and wear the “green dot”–the player who calls defenses and gets everyone organized.
Seems it will be Overshown.
Parker, speaking to the Cowboys team website, said he has faith in Overshown, who simply needs to figure out how to remain on the field for a whole season.
Said Parker: “I think we’re trying different things everywhere, but that doesn’t change the fact or the responsibility we’re putting on D-Mo’s shoulders. We know he’s ready for it to take that next step in his career. Availability has been his biggest hurdle, and he’s done a phenomenal job of taking care of himself. Some of those injuries are out of his control.”
Overshown is an outspoken member of the Cowboys, and has the right voice to be a leader. But the Cowboys will worry that he could get hurt again and leave them short on their green dot player. It helps, too, that Overshown will be a free agent next offseason and needs a big year.
“I think whether it’s Mike, Will, Jack, whatever you want to call the position, he’s lined up at linebacker and he is having command, and he’s able to kind of bring all 11 together and control the temperature there,” Parker told the team site’s Tommy Yarrish.
“Every great defense has great, steady linebacker players that carry themselves like linebackers, that act like linebackers. He’s finding his voice there and he’s done a good job of growing in that manner this off season.”
Sean Deveney is a veteran sports reporter covering the NBA, NFL and MLB for Heavy.com. He has written for Heavy since 2019 and has more than two decades of experience covering the NBA, including 17 years as the lead NBA reporter for the Sporting News. Deveney is the author of 7 nonfiction books, including "Fun City," "Before Wrigley became Wrigley," and "Facing Michael Jordan." More about Sean Deveney
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