FRISCO, Texas — While the Cowboys weren't exactly quiet during free agency this spring, there is still plenty of work to do for this team that finished 7-9-1 in 2025.
Not only did they add some key players in free agency and via trades, but they also re-signed some of the core depth as well.
Still, there are other members of the team that must take that next step in order for the Cowboys to be successful in 2026.
Today, we'll continue the Next Man Up series with linebacker DeMarvion Overshown.
- Name: DeMarvion Overshown
- Position: Linebacker
- Experience: 3 years
- Games Played/Starts: 19/17
- Years Left on Contract: 1
- How Acquired: 2023 third-round pick – 90th overall
- Key Stat: 28 tackles, TFL in six games back from injury
The Past: A native of Arp, Texas, Overshown began his football career playing safety, where he was a five-star recruit in the 2018 class and committed to the University of Texas. Going into his junior season in 2020, the Longhorns made the decision to switch Overshown to an inside linebacker, where he quickly made a big impact on the defense with his rare size, speed and athletic ability for the position. After being drafted by the Cowboys in the third-round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Overshown suffered a devastating torn ACL injury in the second preseason game of his rookie season and missed all of his rookie year. He would return in 2024 and was a difference maker for Dallas, posting 90 tackles, eight tackles for loss, five sacks and a pick-six in 13 games before suffering another tragic torn ACL, MCL and PCL. Overshown missed most of the 2025 season, but was able to return and play for six games.
The Present: The most important thing for Overshown heading into the 2025 offseason is that he is healthy. That is not a luxury he had in 2024, and being able to participate in the offseason program and training camp is a crucial step in not just his development, but making sure he can retain as much of the explosiveness and speed as possible that made him a star on Dallas' defense in 2024. Two devastating injuries to the knee make it difficult to do that, but Overshown has worked diligently to do everything he can to make sure he's as healthy as possible. At present, the Cowboys have not made any offseason additions to their linebacker room in free agency. So as it stands, Overshown is the most tenured player in the room. Dallas will almost certainly look to add a veteran and/or a younger player in the NFL Draft, but Overshown is still a crucial piece that will be counted on this upcoming season to remain on the field and have an impact.
The Future: Given the injury history, Overshown's availability is the most important element of his future. The 2026 season is the final year of Overshown's rookie contract, and the biggest question that both the Cowboys will need to have answered is whether or not he can stay on the field for all 17 games, and what a fully healthy season from Overshown looks like production wise as well. He's flashed in spurts when healthy, especially in 2024, but can there be consistency and multiple weeks stacked on top of one another? At the NFL combine, Cowboys COO/co-owner Stephen Jones said he felt Overshown could put together a "great" season, but needed to answer the "question mark" surrounding his injury history. If Overshown does complete a full year, the question will shift to whether or not Dallas believes it can continue to happen consistently, and if so, he could end up being the Cowboys' "Agent 0" well into the future.
