Lost in the fog of recency once stood a fierce pass rusher destined for greatness. This man, without a traditionally defined position, was unleashed to do what he did best: make plays. And the football gods rewarded the Dallas Cowboys for their open-mindedness, giving them a gift of a young playmaker to pair with already generational talent in Micah Parsons.
It was DeMarvion Overshown’s second season in the NFL, and he was rocketing to stardom with the Cowboys. The man drafted as a hybrid, linebacker and safety, was making a name for himself as pass rusher and playmaker extraordinaire. In Mike Zimmer’s defense that leaned on A-gap blitzes to generate extra pressure, Overshown was a game-changing weapon. It made him one of the most effective off-ball
pass rushers in the NFL and set him on the road to success until injury robbed him of his season and eventually his role altogether.
When Zimmer left, so did the role that made Overshown great. When Overshown did recover, he awkwardly wedged himself into Matt Erberflus’ system in 2025 and now Christian Parker’s system in 2026. The man who was once regarded as a rising star and an NFL top 100 player, now qualifies as just another guy.
WHAT A PLAY BY OVERSHOWN.
— NFL (@NFL) November 28, 2024
📺: #NYGvsDAL on FOX
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/o9hC8Zduzw
But Mike Pettine’s presence on the coaching staff might have the power to unlock Overshown. Like Zimmer, Pettine likes to use his middle linebackers in aggressive roles. He likes to blitz and, recognizing the issue the Cowboys currently have creating pressure with just four, he might have no other choice to blitz a lot.
#Cowboys DeMarvion Overshown recorded the fourth-fastest sack of the season, at 2.47 seconds, according to @NextGenStats.
— Brandon Loree (@Brandoniswrite) October 28, 2024
Quicker than fast for @AGENT0__. pic.twitter.com/IAvSYCQjGW
Using Overshown as a pass rusher as much as possible is a great way to get the most out of him. Whether it’s a blitz through the A-gap or pressure from the edge, it’s how his presence is most felt.
In Overshown’s breakout season, he graded as a top 10 linebacker in PFF pressure grades. His PRP score specifically, a formula that looks at sacks, hits, and hurries relative to pass rush snaps, rated No. 1 amongst his peers that season. On a 2026 squad that’s struggling to create much of anything in the form of pressure, his impact would be a welcomed sight if the Cowboys would just use him differently.
As Overshown makes his way back from injury in 2026 and the Cowboys’ season slipping away by the week, there’s no time to spare. Overshown is a proven difference maker who’s at his best crashing downhill and at his most impactful when he’s weaponized as a blitzer. Somehow the Cowboys lost sight of that and started using him as a traditional linebacker. Remembering it again could save the Cowboys’ season.
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys need to make DeMarvion Overshown a playmaker again
