LB Eric Kendricks Addresses Cowboys Deal
Eric Kendricks had an agreement to sign with the 49ers this offseason, but he ultimately chose to join the Cowboys. The veteran linebacker reunited with Mike Zimmer during the process, which influenced his choice to join with Dallas.
“Yes, I always appreciated Zim,” Kendricks stated (via Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News). “Just the amount of defense I acquired while under him. I learnt a lot from Zim about how I watch films, how we break things down, how to install, and so on, and I can’t wait to keep doing that.
Zimmer’s career as head coach of the Vikings ended with his dismissal after the 2021 season. His resignation (together with that of general manager Rick Spielman) came after claims of a schism between the duo and the players. Kendricks himself publicly condemned Zimmer’s “culture of fear”. The latter was out of coaching for two seasons before taking over as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. Zimmer will be tasked with replicating Dallas’ defensive prowess under Dan Quinn, when the team ranked no lower than eighth in points allowed over the previous three seasons. However, linebacker is a position with many questions heading into 2024, and Kendricks is expected to start.
The 32-year-old took less money to join the Cowboys, eschewing what would have been a short-term gig as a first-teamer in San Francisco.
Kendricks had an eight-year run in Minnesota, starting 127 games along the way. He earned first-team All-Pro honors along with a Pro Bowl nod in 2019, and he has recorded at least 107 tackles every season since. The UCLA alum will see plenty of playing time in a linebacker unit which no longer includes the retired Leighton Vander Esch. Dallas will depend on Kendricks as an experienced producer alongside the likes of Damone Clark, DeMarvion Overshown and Marist Liufau. Any potential tension with Zimmer has been dealt with by now.
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