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DeMarvion Overshown

Cowboys’ DeMarvion Overshown Ahead Of Schedule In Recovery; Sam Williams Returns To Practice

June 6th, 2025 at 11:09am CST by Adam La Rose

DeMarvion Overshown missed his entire rookie season due to an ACL tear. He managed to return to the Cowboys’ lineup in time for the start of last season, handling a starting role when on the field.

A productive campaign came to a premature end in December, however. The former third-round linebacker suffered another ACL tear with the same damage also being done to his MCL and PCL. As a result, Overshown is once again in the midst of a lengthy recovery process. Encouragingly, he is ahead of schedule at this point.

“It really couldn’t be any better,” Overshown said when speaking about his health status (via Jon Machota of The Athletic). “Where I’m at in my rehab and my process is where I’m supposed to be plus some… There’s no need to rush the process. I’m gonna come back when I’m 100 percent. When I’m ready, when I know I can touch the field and not look down and worry about my knee.”

The 24-year-old posted 90 tackles, five sacks and four pass deflections last season. A return to that level of production would be welcomed on a Cowboys defense in need of improvement in 2025. A firm timeline is not in place for a return to action, and it would come as no surprise if Overshown began the campaign on the PUP list. November was mentioned last month as a possible point at which he could suit up, but since the Texas product is ahead of schedule he may manage to do so slightly earlier.

In other Cowboys injury news, Sam Williams has recently reached a key milestone in his own rehab process stemming from a major knee injury. The former second-round defensive end missed all of last season after tearing his ACL and suffering a partial MCL tear during training camp. The 26-year-old recently took part in individual drills for the first time this offseason, though, as noted by the Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins.

That news comes as little surprise, since owner Jerry Jones said one month ago Williams had nearly healed in full. Still, having the latter back in the fold will be key for a pass rush group which lost DeMarcus Lawrence in free agency. Williams has yet to start a game in the NFL, but he could be in line for a spike in usage as a complement to Micah Parsons along the edge. A strong showing would be key since Williams is a pending 2026 free agent.

Dallas ranked 31st in the NFL in points allowed last season. Better health from the likes of Overshown and Williams will help the team’s efforts to improve in that respect, and both should be available for at least most of the coming campaign.

NFC East Rumors: Cowboys, Eagles, Strahan

May 18th, 2025 at 3:23pm CST by Ely Allen

The Athletic beat writer Charlotte Carroll was astute to notice that someone other than head coach Brian Daboll was calling plays at Giants minicamp recently. This report was confirmed when SportsNet New York’s Connor Hughes saw assistant head coach and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka calling plays for the second day in a row.

While this may suggest some uncertainty about who will be calling the offense for New York in 2025, Paul Schwartz of the New York Post was quick to report that a change isn’t likely at this time. Kafka was originally given play-calling duties for the first time in his career during Daboll’s first year as the head coach. Daboll had wanted his focus to be more big-picture and had assigned the responsibility to Kafka. Just before the 2024 season, though, Daboll took over play-calling duties for the whole year.

A time may come in which Kafka gets another opportunity to call plays in the NFL, but for now, his lack of experience in comparison to Daboll’s is likely to keep the responsibility with the head coach in 2025.

Here are a few more rumors from around the NFC East:

  • After missing his entire rookie season with a torn ACL in the preseason, Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown had a productive debut season in 2024. In 13 games, Overshown started 12 contests and stuffed the stat sheet in the process. He tallied 90 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, five sacks, five quarterback hits, four passes defensed, an interception returned for a touchdown, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Unfortunately, that production came to a screeching halt when he suffered late-season tears to his ACL, MCL, and PCL. Overshown is making sure not to rush anything in his recovery, telling RJ Ochoa of SB Nation that, while he hasn’t ruled out starting in Week 1, he knows he’ll probably be starting the season on the physically unable to perform list. Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram adds that November has been identified as a realistic target for Overshown’s return.
  • Ben VanSumeren is entering his third season with the Eagles. While he has made two starts in his career, his main impact has come on special teams. Even more interesting, VanSumeren’s rookie-year start was on defense at linebacker, but his second-year start was on offense as a fullback. In fact, all of his non-special teams snaps were on defense as a rookie and on offense in his sophomore campaign. According to Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer, head coach Nick Sirianni disclosed that, after re-signing VanSumeren, the third-year player has been officially labeled a fullback. While the team intends to cross-train him in both rooms, he will begin in the running backs room in 2025.
  • Lastly, it was recently reported that Eli Manning is not the only former Giant looking to acquire an ownership stake in the franchise. According to Schwartz, Hall of Fame pass rusher Michael Strahan will compete with Manning in an attempt to buy up to a 10 percent ownership stake in the Giants. Strahan is pairing with billionaire Marc Lasry to put together their bid.

Cowboys Notes: Murray, Prescott, Overshown

March 23rd, 2025 at 9:30pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Kenneth Murray‘s trade to the Cowboys came as a surprise to the 26-year-old linebacker, but he has no complaints about playing in Dallas.

“I’ve always loved the Cowboys,” said Murray (via The Athletic’s Jon Machota). “I grew up a Cowboys fan. My whole family are Cowboys fans. So this is definitely a dream for me playing here.”

Murray was born outside of Houston in 1998. Though the Texans would become the NFL’s 32nd team a year later, Murray was still raised supporting America’s Team. He just wasn’t planning to play for them anytime soon.

“It was extremely surprising for me, just because I wasn’t expecting it,” continued Murray. After will compete for a starting job in Dallas as DeMarvion Overshown recovers from last season’s knee injury.

  • Overshown underwent extensive surgery in December to repair a torn ACL, MCL, and PCL in his right knee. The Cowboys won’t rush him back to the field, but he is planning to play next season. “I’ll be back playing football for sure in 2025,” said Overshown, per Machota. “And it won’t be in December. It will be before that.” The exact timeline for his return remains uncertain given the severity of his injury.
  • Dak Prescott doesn’t have a clear timeline, either, but he is on track to return by the beginning of the regular season. “I’ll be ready for the first game and when anything matters and very, very ready,” said Prescott (via Cowboys team writer Patrik Walker). He missed most of the 2024 season with a partial avulsion of his right hamstring that required surgery.
  • Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey also underwent minor shoulder surgery this offseason, according to Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News. Obviously, shoulder surgery isn’t expected to have a major impact on a kicker, but any procedure brings potential complications with it. The Cowboys know that all too well after Brandin Cooks missed multiple games last season due to a infection resulting from injections in his right knee.
  • In non-injury news, the Cowboys are expected to keep Cooper Beebe at center in 2025, per Machota. Beebe primarily played left guard at Kansas State, but started 16 games at center for the Cowboys as a rookie in 2024. Brock Hoffman and Jack Anderson both have experience at the position, but neither profiles as a better starting option than Beebe.

Cowboys LB DeMarvion Overshown Suffers ACL, MCL, PCL Tears

December 10th, 2024 at 1:39pm CST by Adam La Rose

1:39pm: Testing has revealed Overshown suffered ACL, MCL and PCL tears in his right knee, Archer reports. The left knee was affected by last year’s injury, and it is a slight positive the other one will be operated on shortly. Still, a very long road to recovery exists, and when speaking about the matter Jones admitted it is uncertain if Overshown will play in 2025.

Archer notes surgery is scheduled for this week, while David Moore of the Dallas Morning News reports Overshown is weighing his options regarding types of procedures at this time. No nerve damage was suffered, but today’s news nevertheless marks a major blow for team and player. Two more years remain on Overshown’s rookie contract.

8:49am: DeMarvion Overshown missed his entire rookie season due to a torn ACL, and he is once again facing the possibility of a lengthy recovery. The Cowboys linebacker exited yesterday’s loss with a knee injury.

After the game, head coach Mike McCarthy said the ailment is serious, adding that further testing will take place today to determine the severity of the issue. ESPN’s Todd Archer reports Overshown’s injury is believed to consist of not only another ACL tear, but other injuries as well. Provided that is the case, his season will be over with another long rehab process in front of him. Owner Jerry Jones confirmed (via Jon Machota of The Athletic) surgery will be required.

Overshown entered the league with relatively high expectations last year based on his play in college. The Texas product tore his ACL during a preseason contest last summer, though, leaving him sidelined for his entire rookie campaign. He had managed to remain available for every game in 2024 prior to last night’s injury, handling a starter’s role along the way as expected.

The 24-year-old has amassed 90 tackles this season, which ranks second on the Cowboys. Overshown’s five sacks also place him second on the team, a testament to his impact both against the run and the pass. In a year where several other integral members of Dallas’ defense have missed time, Overshown is also in line for a notable absence. Even if the worst-case scenario were to be avoided in his case, the former third-rounder will not see the field until 2025 at the earliest.

Eric Kendricks joined the Cowboys this offseason in free agency, turning aside the chance to play for the 49ers and reuniting with defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer in the process. He leads the team with 119 tackles and will be expected to remain a central contributor on defense to close out the campaign. Kendricks is a pending free agent, though, and the Cowboys will have a number of other financial priorities to deal with this offseason. It would nevertheless come as no surprise if Dallas were to attempt to keep the Kendricks-Overshown tandem in place for 2025.

In the meantime, third-round rookie Marist Liufau will likely take on a first-team role over the final four games of the season. He took over for Overshown following the injury, allowing him to add to his totals in his debut campaign. Liufau has handled a rotational workload on defense while remaining a regular on special teams as well to date. The Notre Dame product could compete for a larger share of defensive snaps in 2025 with his play down the stretch as the Cowboys move on without Overshown in the fold.

Cowboys LB DeMarvion Overshown In Line For Starting Role?

July 3rd, 2024 at 3:24pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Cowboys were among the quietest teams in free agency this offseason, but the team did add Eric Kendricks as a veteran linebacking presence. The former All-Pro is on track for a starting role, but he could be joined in that respect by a player yet to see regular season action in the NFL.

DeMarvion Overshown is expected to handle first-team duties if he can remain healthy this season, Jon Machota of The Athletic notes (subscription required). The 2023 third-rounder was sidelined for his entire rookie season due to an ACL tear. He did not take part in offseason workouts this spring while continuing to rehab, but returning to full health in time for Week 1 could lead to a notable role.

Overshown entered the NFL with high expectations given his college production. The Texas alum posted 96 stops, 10 tackles for loss and four sacks in his final collegiate season, showcasing his value against the run and the pass. Remaining on the field for third downs in particular would constitute a sign of confidence in Overshown on the team’s part if such a workload were to emerge come the fall.

Of course, using the 23-year-old as a full-time defender would limit Damone Clark‘s usage. The latter logged a heavy workload as a rookie in 2022 before becoming a central member of the Cowboys’ defense last season. Clark handled a 73% defensive snap share, racking up 109 tackles. Dallas’ run defense was a sore spot in 2023, however, so it comes as little surprise there will be new faces competing for roster spots and playing time during training camp and the preseason.

Kendricks – who backed out of a 49ers deal before signing with Dallas – is a highly familiar face for new Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. The pair spent considerable time together in Minnesota, and Kendricks noted Zimmer’s presence as a factor in deciding to join the Cowboys this offseason. The 32-year-old has 127 starts to his name, and he will look to stabilize the second level of Dallas’ defense this season.

In addition to Overshown and Clark likely battling for a starting role this summer, the Cowboys have third-round rookie Marist Liufau and UFL addition Willie Harvey Jr. amongst their depth options at the linebacker spot. The latter two will likely handle heavy special teams workloads if they survive roster cuts, but Overshown’s role will be worth watching closely once the campaign begins.

Cowboys Set 53-Man Roster

August 29th, 2023 at 5:36pm CST by Ben Levine

The Cowboys were busy today, with the organization announcing 36 roster moves as they reduced their team to 53 players:

Released:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

  • OT Josh Ball
  • WR David Durden
  • LB DeMarvion Overshown
  • TE John Stephens Jr.

According to Nick Harris of the team website, both long snapper Trent Sieg and cornerback C.J. Goodwin are expected to rejoin the active roster once the dust settles from this initial round of cuts.

Quinton Bohanna spent the past two years in Dallas after being selected in the sixth round of the 2021 draft. He got into 27 games (10 starts) over the past two years, collecting 29 tackles while playing both on defense and special teams. The Cowboys added first-round defensive tackle Mazi Smith this offseason, making Bohanna expendable.

Cowboys LB DeMarvion Overshown Suffers Torn ACL

August 20th, 2023 at 3:10pm CST by Rory Parks

3:10pm: Gehlken reports that Overshown has indeed torn his ACL (Twitter link). The news confirms the worst-case scenario, and that he will miss his entire rookie campaign. Overshown will now turn his attention to rehab ahead of an attempt to replicate his impressive showings next offseason, while the Cowboys may now find themselves on the market for a depth LB addition in the near future. Undrafted rookie tight end John Stephens also tore his ACL last night, per Gehlken.

8:28am: The Cowboys fear that third-round rookie linebacker DeMarvion Overshown tore his ACL during last night’s preseason loss to the Seahawks, per Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). The club will know the full extent of the damage after an MRI.

Overshown suffered the injury while making an open-field tackle of Seattle running back Zach Charbonnet during the first quarter of the game. An ACL tear, of course, would force him to miss the entirety of his first professional season, which would be an especially difficult blow given that he appeared ticketed for a significant role right out of the gate.

On paper, Dallas’ linebacking corps is the weakest part of its defense, so there was plenty of opportunity for Overshown to establish himself as at least a key rotational player and special teams contributor. He had put together an impressive training camp and was seen as an ascending talent.

“He was climbing. He was climbing the charts,” head coach Mike McCarthy said of Overshown after the game (Twitter link via Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram). “He showed up right away in the offseason program, just his ability to fly around. Really has excellent command. So just hopeful. See how tomorrow goes.”

Leighton Vander Esch, who re-upped with the Cowboys on a two-year, $11MM contract in March, will likely operate as Dallas’ starter at middle linebacker (despite some recent run as an edge defender). Lining up next to him will be recent Day 3 draft choices Damone Clark (fifth round, 2022), Devin Harper (sixth round, 2022), and Jabril Cox (fourth round, 2021), all of whom will see an uptick in playing time if Overshown is indeed out for the year.

“You never want to see any of your guys get hurt, that’s what’s so tough about these preseason games,” McCarthy added (via Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News). “We had a couple of young guys go down, you say your prayers and hopefully the imaging points in the right direction. He’s had an incredible camp, we’ve talked about him almost every other day. I just hope he’s OK.”

Overshown, a Texas product, received First Team All-Big 12 acclaim following his final season with the Longhorns, a season in which he compiled 96 tackles (10 TFL), four sacks, and five passes defensed.

Cowboys Sign Mazi Smith, Rest Of Draft Class To Rookie Deals

May 11th, 2023 at 7:56pm CST by Ben Levine

With their rookie minicamp set to begin tomorrow, the Cowboys have signed their entire draft class. The team announced that they’ve officially inked all eight of their draft picks to rookie contracts, including first-round defensive tackle Mazi Smith.

While many assumed the Cowboys would use their first-round pick on a tight end, they ended up pivoting to the defensive side of the ball. Smith was a worthy pick; the Michigan product finished his 2022 campaign with 48 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and a half-sack en route to All-Big Ten honors.

There were some questions surrounding his consistency heading into the draft, but his size and speed made him a surefire first- or second-round pick. Fortunately for Dallas, they won’t need Smith to be a contributor right away. He’ll find himself in the mix with Johnathan Hankins and Osa Odighizuwa on the DT depth chart, but he could also earn some playing time at defensive end.

We heard earlier today that the Cowboys inked second-round tight end Luke Schoonmaker to his rookie deal. The rest of the team’s draft class includes: