Latest DeMarvion Overshown news will snowball into a bigger issue for Cowboys well beyond 2024 season
Losing to the Cincinnati Bengals is trending to be the least of problems stemming from Monday for the Dallas Cowboys. Rising star linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, who suffered a knee injury that knocked him out of the game in the fourth quarter, might be in for a tough situation, based on recent reporting from ESPN's Todd Archer. "The […]
Losing to the Cincinnati Bengals is trending to be the least of problems stemming from Monday for the Dallas Cowboys.
Rising star linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, who suffered a knee injury that knocked him out of the game in the fourth quarter, might be in for a tough situation, based on recent reporting from ESPN's Todd Archer.
"The belief is Overshown suffered more than only a tear of the anterior cruciate ligament," Archer reported. "He will undergo additional testing Tuesday to confirm the severity of the injury."
If such testing confirms the Cowboys' fears, it will be a major problem for America's Team well beyond 2024. Jerry Jones confirmed on 105.3 The Fan Overshown will undergo knee surgery regardless of what his MRI reveals later Tuesday morning.
Not only would Overshown's season come to an end immediately but the team would be in an awful spot at linebacker going into the offseason.
How exactly do you plan around a linebacker who suffered a torn ACL as a rookie in one knee and an even worse injury on the other knee one year later? Not to mention, the latter happened in December, which will heavily impact his performance/availability in early in 2025. If it's worse than just a torn ACL, it might be worse than that.
With Eric Kendricks hitting free agency next March, it could leave the Cowboys quite thin at linebacker, which would rapidly move up the list of the team's top needs.
Rookie Marist Liufau, who replaced Overshown and ended up with 1.5 sacks has shown flashes of productive play here and there. The Cowboys see him as a future middle linebacker and he could be a part of the solution, but more talent will be needed at the position. That will be tough to handle for a team with as many needs as it has going into next year. Linebacker was supposed to be a position the Cowboys could be comfortable with.
Ultimately, the toughest part for the Cowboys is that whoever walks into the room next year is unlikely to match the upward trajectory Overshown was in. Through 13 games this season, he was really looking like a future All-Pro thanks to his insane athleticism, closing speed, and playmaking ability.
Even on Monday, he singlehandedly produced impressive stops, including on a crucial fourth and three where he flew to the pass catcher to record the PBU.
For the Cowboys, it'll come down to crossing their fingers and hope for the best on Overshown's injury. But they'll be forced to treat linebacker as a top need in 2025 and be prepared for the worst as the young defender will be a question mark in terms of availability and in terms of level of play upon his return.
The good news is Overshown is no stranger to the adversity. As a rookie, he was consistently praised for his work ethic in rehab, which paid off on the field when he showed up as if nothing had happened in his second year in the league.
