1 player Cowboys would love to steal from each NFC East rival

Cowboys would love to steal LB Nakobe Dean from the Philadelphia Eagles

One of the sneakiest best moves that the Cowboys made this offseason was re-signing former first-round pick Leighton Vander Esch. While the linebacker has never fully been the star he looked like as a rookie, he’s still been a solid NFL player. And when you look at the depth chart at the position, that’s something that can’t be found anywhere else.

Damone Clark flashed as a rookie but was a fifth-round pick in 2022 and has his flaws. Jabril Cox hasn’t come around since he was a fourth-rounder in 2021. And the team has to see that DeMarvion Overshown, a third-round pick this year, still needs devlopment.

That’s why, instead of looking at guys like Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Haason Reddick or a number of players on the defenisve line, the Cowboys would love to steal linebacker Nakobe Dean from the Eagles.

After leading the way as one of the stars of the vaunted 2021 Georgia defense, Dean fell to the third round and into the Eagles’ laps due to medical concerns. But based on the limited sample size, he looks like he has star potential still in the NFL.

Dean played largely on special teams as a rookie but was an ace in that regard. And while it was only 38 defensive snaps for the rookie with Philadelphia, he looked comfortable and versatile in that capacity when he did get those chances, something we should see more of in the 2023 season.

Pairing Nakobe Dean with Leighton Vander Esch on the Cowboys defense would not only deepen a weaker position group in Dallas but would also present a perfect combo at the position with Dean’s versatility and athleticism combined with LVE’s downhill style and more bruising nature. The totality of that under the watch of Dan Quinn would be something special.