{"id":48242,"date":"2025-05-14T09:25:02","date_gmt":"2025-05-14T09:25:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=48242"},"modified":"2025-05-14T09:25:02","modified_gmt":"2025-05-14T09:25:02","slug":"cowboys-could-create-room-for-versatile-udfa-in-linebacker-rotation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=48242","title":{"rendered":"Cowboys could ‘create room’ for versatile UDFA in linebacker rotation"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Dallas Cowboys need to figure out their linebacker rotation for the 2025 NFL season, and due to injuries and inconsistency, an UDFA could find a role on the team.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\"Syracuse<\/picture><\/figure>\n
Syracuse Orange linebacker Justin Barron tackles Virginia Cavaliers wide receiver Keytaon Thompson. \/ Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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One of the biggest questions surrounding the\u00a0Dallas Cowboys\u00a0roster entering OTAs and mandatory minicamp will be at the linebacker position. The Cowboys revamped the roster during free agency, but there are still questions about how everything could play out.<\/p>\n

Breakout star DeMarvion Overshown will not be ready for the start of the 2025\u00a0NFL\u00a0season, and the other offseason moves have centered around players like Jack Sanborn and Kenneth Murray, who have some levels of inconsistency.<\/p>\n

That opens the door for undrafted free agent Justin Barron, who signed with the Cowboys after starring for the\u00a0Syracuse Orange.<\/p>\n

PFF recently dropped an article highlighting “one UDFA to watch” for all 32 teams, and Barron made the cut for Dallas thanks to his versatility and playing at a position of need.<\/p>\n

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\"Syracuse<\/picture><\/figure>\n
Syracuse Orange linebacker Justin Barron makes a tackle on Clemson Tigers wide receiver Troy Stellato. \/ Mark Konezny-Imagn Images<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

“Barron garnered $234,000 in guaranteed money with a $20,000 signing bonus from Dallas, making him one of the team\u2019s highest-paid undrafted free agents,” PFF’s Ben Cooper wrote. “It was warranted for the Syracuse product, who proved himself as a valuable coverage defender and run defender with the Orange.<\/p>\n

“Barron earned 70.0-plus PFF run-defense grades in each of the past three seasons, and his 263 tackles over the span formed one of the highest totals in college football among linebackers and box safeties. He also allowed just two touchdowns on 144 career targets in coverage while breaking up nine passes.”<\/p>\n

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\"Syracuse<\/picture><\/figure>\n
Syracuse Orange linebacker Justin Barron tackles Purdue Boilermakers tight end Max Klare. \/ Alex Martin\/Journal and Courier \/ USA TODAY NETWORK<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Cooper finishes by noting Dallas’ uncertainty at the position could “create room for Barron in the Cowboys\u2019 linebacker rotation.”<\/p>\n

During his final season at Syracuse, Barron recorded 93 tackles, nine tackles for a loss, two sacks, one interception, and one fumble recovery.<\/p>\n

Throughout his career, which included a redshirt freshman season, Barron totaled 293 tackles, 20 tackles for a loss, 3.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and two interceptions.<\/p>\n

Barron will certain be an intriguing player to watch throughout offseason workouts and training camp. At the very least, with his guarantee, it looks like the Cowboys should be eyeing him for a place on the practice squad.<\/p>\n

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Boston College Eagles quarterback Thomas Castellanos is sacked by Syracuse Orange linebacker Justin Barron. \/ Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Dallas Cowboys need to figure out their linebacker rotation for the 2025 NFL season, and due to injuries and inconsistency, an UDFA could find a role… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":48245,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-48242","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"\nCowboys could 'create room' for versatile UDFA in linebacker rotation - 24\/7 News America<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=48242\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Cowboys could 'create room' for versatile UDFA in linebacker rotation - 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