Cowboys Urged to Sign Eagles’ Former 29-Year-Old Starter

Cowboys Urged to Sign Eagles’ Former 29-Year-Old Starter

The focus is on the NFL, specifically the Cowboys. Cowboys are urged to sign the Eagles’ former 29-year-old starter. Zack Cunningham Getty The Cowboys could be a great destination for LB Zach Cunningham. The Dallas Cowboys could use a former Philadelphia Eagles starter on the roster. According to Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder, the Cowboys should consider signing former Eagles linebacker Zach Cunningham. Holder’s argument for why Dallas should sign Cunningham is simple: the Cowboys struggled to defend the run last season, and Leighton Vander Esch has retired.

Last season, the Cowboys were 16th in run defense. While Dallas has already added veteran Eric Kendricks to cover Vander Esch’s spot, the Cowboys might still benefit from another established veteran on the roster. Marist Liufau, a rookie, is projected to be the other starting linebacker, with Damone Clark, a second-year player, the other starter. In other words, two of the Cowboys’ three starting linebackers are new. Cunningham started 10 of Philadelphia’s 13 games last season and recorded 85 tackles, the third-highest total on the roster. Holder believes Cunningham would be a “good option” next to Kendricks.

Meanwhile, Cunningham is still available and has a reputation for being a quality run-stopper,” writes Holder. “Specifically in 2023, he received a 70.7 run-defense grade from Pro Football Focus and made 85 total tackles in 13 games. The 29-year-old would be a viable option on the second level of defense alongside free-agent addition Eric Kendricks.” Cunningham, 29, didn’t sign with the Eagles until training camp before last season. He was signed, along with fellow veteran linebacker Myles Jack, to help Philadelphia shore up its linebacker depth after losing T.J. Edwards and Kyzir White to free agency.

A similar scenario could pan out this season if the Cowboys feel they’re not strong enough at linebacker entering the season. The Cowboys’ primary backup linebackers — Buddy Johnson, Markquese Bell and DeMarion Overshown — have a combined eight starts among them.

Cunningham actually once led the NFL in tackles (164) in 2020. Over the course of his seven-year career, Cunningham holds career totals of 705 tackles, 23 pass deflections, four fumble recoveries and 6.5 sacks in 95 games and 86 starts with the Eagles, Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans.

As Trey Lance prepares to enter his second season in Dallas, he’s more confident than ever before.

The former No. 3 overall draft pick will enter his first full training camp with the Cowboys after being acquired towards the end of last year’s preseason in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers. Lance will battle with longtime backup Cooper Rush for the No. 2 spot behind starter Dak Prescott.

Via Nick Harris of the Cowboys’ official website:

“[My confidence] is much higher than it was when I got into the NFL, for sure,” Lance said. “I kind of didn’t know what to expect. I think that’s probably most rookies, if not all of them at one point or another throughout that first year. I feel great about where I’m at. Continuing to get better, continuing to learn and continuing to be a better quarterback.”

Lance did not play a single snap last season as the Cowboys’ third-string quarterback. However, the squad acquired him for a reason: they feel he can help the team succeed. If Lance can beat over Rush, who has been Prescott’s primary backup for the past few years, he will be the next man up if Prescott is injured.

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