Dallas Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch had a picture perfect rookie season, as he finished third in the NFL in tackles and received a Pro Bowl nod in Year 1. The former first-round pick from Boise St. didn’t quite build on his rookie success though. Vander Esch’s play regressed in 2019 as he battled a neck injury that eventually ended his second season.
All this has led to a pivotal third campaign in 2020 as the young star says his injuries are behind him and he’s ready for a positional change.
One of the many new Cowboys coaching transitions this offseason was the hiring of long-time NFL defensive coordinator, Mike Nolan. Nolan is sure to bring a new defensive scheme to Dallas, and much of that plan has been kept under wraps with hints that a hybrid defense that will include 30 fronts have surfaced. Vander Esch spoke to the media at The Star this week and revealed some key revisions to the Dallas defense.
Vander Esch played most his professional snaps at the will, or weak side, linebacker spot, and Jaylon Smith at the mike, or middle, but it looks like the roles will be reversed in 2020.
“In today’s age of playing football, mike and will are pretty much identical,” Vander Esch told the media. He would go on to add, “I guess if you want to call me the mike, you can call me the mike and Jaylon obviously is playing the will.”
As the middle linebacker himself mentioned above, the two positions in the Dallas defense aren’t that dissimilar. Vander Esch elaborated on the topic, saying, “Obviously, he might get pulled out the box a little more and the Mike stays in the box a little more. But as far as techniques and how you play, they’re the same thing.”
Of course, part of the rumors this offseason include Smith playing more of a blitzing role under what Nolan called a designated pass rusher role. That will equate to less coverage duties, which Vander Esch – who has an uncanny nose for the football – will absorb.
The Cowboys defenses of recent years have really struggled to create turnovers, but Vander Esch said about the upcoming season, “Just with all the variety and the disguises, I think it’s going to be special for us this year. I think it’s going to create a lot of opportunities for turnovers.”
With Mike Nolan now handling the play calling, some new defensive starters like Gerald McCoy, and a number of young players like Vander Esch who can improve, it’s easy to see why some believe the defense will improve from a year ago.
The other topic that the former first-round pick discussed with the media was his health. Vander Esch, on a conference call with media members, made it very clear that he is 100 percent healthy entering this season.
Vander Esch had neck surgery in January to fix an injury that cost him seven games in 2019, saying “I’ve been training for like three or four months hard. I’ve got all my strength back. Everything’s going great there, and I feel amazing. I’m just excited to be on the field.”
Vander Esch is even making equipment changes to hopefully stay on the field in 2020. He’s known for his high-standing neck roll but he added that he will have a small roll inside his actual shoulder pads, but assured fans that it won’t impact his mobility.
After his rookie campaign, there are really no questions on Vander Esch’s abilities, so the questions have naturally shifted to his injury. The third-year linebacker’s message was clear, as he stated “I’m not worried about my neck anymore. I don’t talk about it. It is what it is and people can think what they want to think about it. But I’ve been training for four months hard and I’m already better than I was before I got hurt with that injury. It doesn’t affect me. I just don’t talk about it. It’s not worth wasting time about.”
With his full recovery from off season surgery, and his new position in Mike Nolan’s versatile defense, “The Wolf Hunter,” as Vander Esch has come to be known by, is potentially in store for a bounce back 2020 season.
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