Eric Kendricks is exactly what this Cowboys defense needed
Eric Kendricks can really help the Dallas Cowboys.
Well, the Cowboys finally did it: they signed an external free agent, becoming the final team to do so this free agency cycle. The Cowboys agreed to a one-year deal with veteran linebacker Eric Kendricks, a move that many expected two weeks ago when the Chargers released him.
But it was the way that Kendricks found his way to Dallas that made an otherwise unremarkable signing feel so patently Cowboys. Earlier on Wednesday, reports came out that Kendricks was signing with the 49ers. That move would reunite him with former Chargers head coach Brandon Staley, who now holds a senior position on the 49ers staff. However, a few hours later Kendricks reversed course and opted to come to Dallas.
Another change of heart: after agreeing to a deal with the 49ers, former Chargers and Vikings LB Eric Kendricks has decided to go to the Dallas Cowboys instead, per sources. Mike Zimmer wanted Kendricks to help run his defense and Kendricks preferred to play in Dallas. https://t.co/NfBUIPT0c6
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 13, 2024
This also led to a reunion between coach and player, as Kendricks spent the first eight seasons of his career playing in Minnesota and was drafted to the Vikings in Mike Zimmer’s second season there. Zimmer is now the Cowboys defensive coordinator, which is why this move had seemed so obvious at one point.
That’s also why this move is exactly what the Cowboys defense needed. For starters, Kendricks comes with a deep inside knowledge of the scheme, having played the majority of his career under Zimmer. And since Zimmer’s scheme is known to be complex, having a veteran player like Kendricks to assist in the installation of said scheme is huge. This is something Zimmer himself highlighted as a reason for the team going after Kendricks:
I asked #Cowboys DC Mike Zimmer about Kendricks and what’s to like about him…”He’s a good guy. Smart, instinctive. Good in coverage and knows the system.” When I asked Zimmer if he made the last minute call. “It was all day affair. I think he wanted to be here.” https://t.co/hffsjda4Uu
— Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) March 14, 2024
It’s also no secret that the Cowboys had a gaping hole at linebacker. Markquese Bell was forced to convert from safety to linebacker due to injuries last year, and while he performed admirably within the context of his sudden switch in positions, it was clear that Bell was a liability in run support.
Beyond just Bell, the Cowboys don’t have any obvious starters at the position as of right now. DeMarvion Overshown likely would’ve factored heavily into the defense as a rookie, but he tore his ACL in the preseason. Not only did we not get to actually see Overshown in the regular season, but his recovery from a serious injury further clouds his projection in 2024. Damone Clark has been inconsistent in his year-and-a-half of actual play in Dallas, while Leighton Vander Esch seems to have played his last down of football:
Vander Esch is expected to retire in the coming weeks, but with Kendricks, they have someone who knows Zimmer’s scheme and has been credited with more than 100 tackles in all but one season in his nine-year career.
Kendricks has been a stout run defender throughout his career, as reflected by tallying 100+ tackles in all but one year in the NFL; the lone exception was his rookie season, when he fell just short at 92 tackles. A big part of that is Kendricks’ understanding of the scheme and how Zimmer wants his linebackers to fill gaps in run defense, which allows Kendricks to get to where he needs to be. It’s telling that Paul Guenther, the Cowboys’ recently-hired run game coordinator who has never worked with Kendricks, was cited by Zimmer as a driving force behind pursuing Kendricks.
Zimmer also points out new run game coordinator Paul Guenther had a lot to do with this move as well. Thinks great add for the locker room
— Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) March 14, 2024
The elephant in the room, though, when it comes to Kendricks is his age. He just turned 32 and had been starting to decline in performance with the Vikings towards the end of his tenure there. While he played better with the Chargers, he was still part of a pretty bad defense, and there are legitimate questions as to how much gas Kendricks has left in the tank.
Thankfully, the great Bob Sturm put together a sizzle reel of Kendricks’ play from this past season:
I bet you would like to see the dozen Eric Kendricks splash plays from Week 12-18 from 2023, right? He wears No. 6 and looks like a guy with plenty of juice. pic.twitter.com/BA4hLLh5Hg
— Bob Sturm (@SportsSturm) March 14, 2024
All of these clips come from a hot streak that Kendricks enjoyed during the late portion of last year, but it does reflect pretty much exactly what’s been said about the veteran thus far. Kendricks isn’t teeming with athleticism or overwhelming power these days, but he plays with exceptional eye discipline and balance. He knows exactly where he needs to be looking each play, which allows him to diagnose things quickly. That was a recurring issue for the Cowboys’ linebackers this past year.
Kendricks likely won’t be an every-down player on defense this year, but he should figure into the rotation at linebacker. His ability to diagnose plays quickly should boost the run defense, and if Kendricks - a team captain a year ago in Los Angeles - can impart some of his eye discipline onto younger players like Overshown and Clark, then this signing will turn out to be a massive home run for the Cowboys.
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