FRISCO, Texas — The tone attached to this year’s approach to NFL free agency activity by the Dallas Cowboys is markedly different than it was one year ago, when they opted to mostly forego signing outside talent — Eric Kendricks notwithstanding, as the only headline grab — instead deciding to lean heavily on the existing roster of talent to see them through 2024.

Ravaged by injury and other challenges, they fell to a 7-10 finish, missed the playoffs and, subsequently, parted ways with Mike McCarthy before throwing the keys to the castle to offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.

With an almost entirely new coaching staff in tow, and a fresh outlook on how to attack the 2025 season, the Cowboys were extremely active in free agency, and that includes having added not one, but two linebackers to the mix.

In this year’s inaugural edition of “Next Man Up”, let’s discuss how adding Jack Sanborn and Kenneth Murray could impact what’s to come for Marist Liufau, a star linebacker in the making.

Name: Marist Liufau
Position: Linebacker
Experience: 1
Games Played/Starts: 17/9
Years Left on Contract: 3
How Acquired: 3rd round (87th-overall pick), 2024 NFL Draft
Key Stat: 2 forced fumbles (t-2nd on team)

The Past: As noted, it was Kendricks being added to the mix at linebacker with the goal of helping young talent like Liufau and DeMarvion Overshown acclimate to the scheme of Mike Zimmer, and to shorten their learning curve toward becoming impact players at the position in the NFL. Liufau racked up 50 combined tackles in only nine starts, and it’s key to note his two forced fumbles were produced in only 521 defensive snaps.

For perspective, Kendricks led the team with three forced fumbles, though it took him 920 defensive snaps to get there and Donovan Wilson, who had two of his own, achieved it in 1,010 defensive snaps — as Liufau laid the groundwork for what might come in Year 2 and beyond.

The Present: This time around, Sanborn effectively serves as this year’s version of Kendricks (for Eberflus’ system) and Murray is hoping to become “the man in the middle”, but it’s also true that, in the absence of Overshown due to injury, the former Notre Dame standout showed he’s a playmaker with an exceptional football IQ. Don’t look for Liufau to be displaced by the signing of two veterans, having shown he can serve as the green dot in an offense — as a rookie, no less — something that will only get better and more proficient with time.

Eberflus is known for how he can get the best out of linebackers throughout his coaching career and Liufau (and Overshown, when he returns) are set to be the superstar tandem at linebacker for the Cowboys. It doesn’t matter which of the three roles Liufau lines up in, though, because he’ll likely excel in any spot.

The Future: And that’s where this summer will be interesting, i.e., where’s Liufau? Will Eberflus see him as the true green dot based upon his rookie tape under Zimmer, or will the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator opt to try Murray’s hand at the MIKE (middle LB) first? Sanborn could get some looks there as well, and the jury is still out on how Damone Clark will be utilized by what will be his third coordinator in his first four NFL seasons.

Go ahead and treat Liufau like the off-ball linebackers’ version of Waldo heading into training camp, but one thing is for sure: he’ll get every opportunity to be a full-time starter and, in that same breath, to possibly put up a Pro Bowl-caliber season in only his second campaign.