The Dallas Cowboys are looking to turn their season around following a 2-4 start, and that begins with Monday night's matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.
Despite the team's poor performance through the first six weeks of the season, the Cowboys still have a shot at hosting a playoff game due to how poor the NFC East is this season . A postseason berth is well within reach, but Dallas will need to figure out some way to improve the defense before worrying about a potential playoff spot.
The Cowboys are returning some key defensive players against the Eagles after multi-week absences, including linebacker DeMarvion Overshown and cornerback Cobie Durant. Both have been out after suffering hamstring injuries early in the season.
Overshown wore the green dot on defense in Week 1's loss to the New York Giants before exiting with injury. The coach-to-player communications have looked different since then. It was expected he would reclaim that role ahead of Monday night against Philadelphia, but the Cowboys coaching staff has elected to go in a surprising direction instead.
NFL Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Per reports from team sideline reporter Kristi Scales, Overshown will not wear the green dot against Philadelphia. That responsibility is now being given to Cowboys linebacker Shemar James.
Cowboys rookie linebacker Jaishawn Barham was also a potential candidate to wear the green dot but it's clear Dallas' defensive staff wanted to make a change. The Cowboys are without starting linebacker Dee Winters against the Eagles due to an Achilles strain he suffered in last week's loss to the Green Bay Packers.
A fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft by the Cowboys, James has appeared in 20 career games (six starts) while posting 104 total tackles (49 solo), 1.5 sacks and one forced fumble. He had 91 total tackles as a rookie last year and has appeared in all six games this season.
Though James, who played 544 defensive snaps as a rookie, has the experience of last year to lean on, it's still a bit surprising the Cowboys didn't give the green dot to Overshown or Barham.
Dallas Cowboys linebacker Shemar James (50) at training camp at River Ridge Playing Fields. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
After Winters suffered the Achilles injury last week, Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer made it clear he's been impressed with how some of the other linebackers have stepped up.
This included both James and Justin Barron, who he spoke highly of.
"We're getting a lot of guys reps. Shemar James, like I said, is doing a really good job," Schottenheimer said. "Justin Barron last night did a really good job. We put him in on a couple passing situations. They actually tried him on a little wheel route immediately when he came in the game and he played it beautifully. That's a position that normally gets dinged up and beat up a little bit, and both those guys Shemar and Justin have played really well for us."
Cowboys fans will have to wait and see if James can live up to this praise against the Eagles.
- Sign up for the Cowboys Daily Digest newsletter for more free coverage from Dallas Cowboys on SI -
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/cowboys/onsi as Cowboys Make Surprising Change to Green Dot Responsibilities vs Eagles .
