Mailbag: Liufau's place on Cowboys roster?

(Editor's Note: Time to check the mail! The DallasCowboys.com staff writers answer your questions here in 'Mailbag' presented by Miller Lite.)

Why are we not hearing much about Marist Liufau? I thought he played with an edge – quick, hungry and hard-hitting with intensity. Will there be a place for him on this defense? – Vern Rollin/Carrollton, TX

Nick: I think there's a place for him on this roster, but maybe not the defense. Obviously he needs to be a great player on special teams for him to make this roster. I think he will because while he might be considered a "tweener" for defense, those are the guys who typically shine the most on special teams.

Linebackers are usually good fits on special teams and in Liufau's case, he's a defensive end with a linebacker body. So as long as he can get himself down the field on kickoffs and punts, which shouldn't be a problem, Liufua can be a difference maker in the kicking game.

So far, I haven't seen him make a big splash on defense. I never really loved the idea of him moving to edge rusher, mainly because of his size. And for some reason, he doesn't appear to be what they're looking for at inside linebacker.

But I sort of put Liufau in the Markquese Bell category. Bell has played both safety and linebacker and isn't really the prototype for either spot. Yet, he's one of the core special teams players and will create his own set of mismatches on the field in defensive sets. I think Liufau will have the same impact.

Kurt: You have to wonder if Liufau was one of those guys who drew the short straw with the coaching change last year. As a rookie in 2024, he played in all 17 games and started nine, saw 47% of the defensive snaps and finished seventh on the team with 50 tackles. He even had 1½ sacks and a pair of forced fumbles.

But when Mike McCarthy and Mike Zimmer were replaced by Brian Schottenheimer and Matt Eberflus at head coach and defensive coordinator, respectively, Liufau's usage took a big hit. In 2025, he again played all 17 games, starting five, but was on the field for just 18% of the defensive snaps, totaling only 30 tackles. For whatever reason, he didn't seem to be a fit for whatever Eberflus was trying to do. Case in point: Liufau blitzed 43 times in 2024, second on the team according to Pro Football Reference, but only did so on 11 occasions last year.

So where does that leave him now? In a tough spot. Given his size, many believe Liufau is better suited as a weakside linebacker who could work more sideline-to-sideline, which is where he lined up in his first two seasons. Instead, he's been slotted as an outside linebacker to perhaps take advantage of his speed rushing the passer. Unfortunately for him, though, that particular position has become very crowded with who has been added to the club over the last few months, the latest being future Hall of Famer Von Miller.

Meaning, Liufau needs to continue to shine on special teams, using that edge you mentioned. In 2025, he played 75% of the special teams snaps and totaled 11 tackles, tying for fourth on the squad. In this 3-4 defense, he's kind of a man without a true position, but he can still solidify a roster spot if he can prove that he's invaluable in the third phase of the game. Regardless of who the coach is.