The Cowboys have received calls on Leighton Vander Esch (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Jane Slater). However, the Cowboys are not interested in trading the young linebacker. 
The Cowboys declined to pick up LVE’s fifth-year option earlier this year, so he’s set to be a free agent next spring. Still, the Boise State product and former first-rounder is still in their future plans. If all goes well this year, the Cowboys could even re-up Vander Esch with a long-term extension.
Picking up the option would’ve given LVE a fully guaranteed $9.145MM for 2022. Despite his talent, that’s a steep price for a player who has missed 13 games over the past two seasons. Meanwhile, the Cowboys invested a ’21 first-round pick in fellow ‘backer Micah Parsons, so they’re not exactly sold on Vander Esch and his long-term outlook.
Vander Esch made the Pro Bowl and the second-team All-Pro team as a rookie in 2018 That year, the No. 19 overall pick notched 140 tackles, seven passes defended, and two interceptions. But, last year, he finished with just 60 tackles, one sack, one forced fumble, and zero passes defended in ten contests.
Still, lots of teams can see a bright future for the 25-year-old. That includes the Cowboys, who plan to hold on to him for 2021.
LVE is a very solid LB, I think he was just getting back healthy last year, and knocking off alot of the rust he’s had..
This year should be a good gauge to see if it was just maybe some rust, or if maybe he just isn’t the same guy after his injuries..
I’d definitely vote for the former rather than the latter, and think he should have a bounceback season this year. The Cowboys could very well have the best LB groups in the NFL with Parsons, LVE, and Smith, and combined they could truly be a versatile force to be reckoned with!!
Individually, they all have their weaknesses, but working together, with then all healthy, they should be able to mask eachothers weaknesses and come together to form one excellent LB core..
Agreed, completely. LVE was everything the Cowboys wanted and more his rookie year. This year, the Parsons-Smith-LVE tandem should easily be the most explosive in football (although it seems to me to be better suited for the old 4-3 as off ball backers instead of McCarthy’s preferred 3-4), if they all stay healthy.
LVE’s future injury concerns make contract future murky. He has the talent to be the next K.J. Wright, and the injury concerns to be the next Sean Lee. But the Cowboys right now look like they could have the next Doomsday linebacker corps at the ready-it may be a gamble to not trade LVE, but you have to at least see as a team whether you think that this is a group you can keep together. If LVE plays out of his mind again this year and Parsons lives up to his billing, I could certainly see the Cowboys taking the risk and letting Smith be the odd man out instead.
Yeah, when they are all healthy, I think Smith was exposed as having the most holes in his game.
Now, that isn’t to say that he can’t improve, or maybe he was simply being misused, but if they’re all healthy andnI had to take 2 out of the 3, Smith would be my odd man out..
Even is LVE is healthy and performs thus season, the odds are you can still get him likely for a decent deal considering his recent injury history..
However, I think these three could be the best trio since Bowman, Willis, and Aldon Smith..While maybe short-lived, those three along with Ahmad Brooks made for the absolute best and most complete LB group I’ve laid my eyes on. Maybe I’m a little biased being a 49ers fan, but show me a better, more complete 4 man LB group anytime recently and if I’m proven wrong I’ll admit it..lol
I agree, but will add that Smith was basically a standing DE. I agree regarding Bowman and Willis and Brooks (also mostly a rusher) and how LVE and Smith and Parsons could measure production wise (with the obvious caveat that we both realize that they will be off ball 4-3 backers instead of attacking the LoS like Smith and Brooks). Not sure who would do that in the current Dallas lineup-the last guy they had who did that was Aldon Smith last year lol. I see the potential though as well. Key word being “potential”.
Depending on what the offers are for him, they would probably be better off trading him. He was drafted with some injury concerns, and while he had a great rookie year injuries have cut short the last two seasons for him and he has had a lot of missed tackles. Also, they just drafted two more LBs. I don’t think they can afford to pay two LBs (LVE & Jaylon) over $10 million per year each, especially when you look at all the money they have tied up on the other side of the ball. Get a decent return for him and see how the rookie LBs play. If one of them can’t cut it get a FA next year that’s cheaper and more durable than LVE that can be a good 3rd LB, or draft another LB. KJ Wright is still available now.
Agree. Injured players don’t suddenly just stop being injured. Get a safety/CB for him.
Kyle Rudolph missed eight games and seven games in his third and fourth seasons, respectively, and then played 92 straight games over the next six seasons.