Eric Kendricks to wear green dot for Cowboys defense in 2024
Although the summer has been disappointing in terms of player signings, Eric Kendricks has continued to work hard since being signed. Since his arrival, he has only received praise from coaches and other players inside the building. It also helps that he is joining his former head coach in Minnesota, Mike Zimmer, who will now lead the Dallas Cowboys’ defense. He will wear the green dot on defense this season. A wise decision for the dependable veteran. For those who don’t know, the lone linebacker is wearing a sticker on his helmet—the green dot indicates that the player is wearing the helmet communicator on defense and calling the defensive plays.
The 32-year-old declined a contract offer from the 49ers to join Zimmer in Dallas. “I always appreciated Zim,” Kendricks stated. “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. He will be a leader in defense. Micah Parsons is easily the greatest player on the squad, but they need a raw leader like Kendricks to keep the younger players engaged and ready to perform.
“I’m already getting more comfortable talking with the guys, communicating, alerting checks and things like that,” Kendricks said in May. “We’re only gonna get better at it as it goes. We’re still inputting a new system, and it’s a complicated one as well, but we’re starting off slow and we’re doing it the right way.”
In Dallas, Kendricks is not only the most experienced and accomplished linebacker on defense, but he comes as a walk-in starter at middle linebacker with the built-in knowledge of Zimmer’s scheme from their time together with the Minnesota Vikings.His best statistical season, though, was in 2021, as he had 143 tackles, five sacks, and two interceptions.
Kendricks does not have to be Ray Lewis at his peak, or even close. As long as he can step in and contribute. If he can have the year he did with the Chargers in 2023, I’ll take it. He concluded the season with 117 tackles and 3.5 sacks. I’ll take that all day. Let’s not forget how awful Dallas’ linebacker play has been in the last few years, aside from LVE. I believe Zimmer’s system will assist this defense. He wants to coach you rather than be your greatest buddy, as Dan Quinn is. I’d rather make big-time stops on good attacks than takeaways against bad ones.
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