The Dallas Cowboys players must deliver this year. They didn’t just struggle against the run last season—they collapsed. The numbers were ugly, the tape was worse, and the failure was holistic. New defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus inherits a unit in need of serious answers. He’s not a mad scientist scheming exotic looks. Rather, his focus is on positioning and simplicity—putting players in the right spots, allowing them to play fast and without hesitation. Here’s your task. Go complete it.
But schemes don’t tackle. Players do.
If the Cowboys want to change their identity in 2025, it won’t be because of press conference clichés. It’ll be because key players step up and get the job done. Here are three players who must deliver if Dallas wants to fix its biggest weakness and reshape its defensive identity in 2025.
The Key Players Who Can Change the Narrative in 2025
Osa Odighizuwa Is The Prototypical Eberflus 3-Technique
If there’s a fulcrum to the Eberflus defense, it’s the 3-technique—the engine that powers the system. For Dallas, that starts with Osa Odighizuwa. Now entering Year 5, Odighizuwa is the veteran leader of the defensive line group and a core piece of the front. If the Cowboys are going to stop getting gashed on the ground, it starts with him.
Odighizuwa’s strength has been as an interior pass-rusher. In 2024, he ranked third among interior defensive linemen in total pressures (60), fourth in quarterback hits (14), and fifth in hurries (39). His 78.5 PFF pass rush grade ranked him 11th out of 219 interior defenders. He brings explosiveness and leverage off the snap. He’s a major disruptor. But he is going to have to be more than that if the defense is going to get better. His 50.8 run defense grade ranked 116th—an alarming number for a player who will be as critical to the success of the run defense as he will be.
Odighizuwa’s athletic profile makes him an ideal fit for Eberflus’ scheme. The challenge now is technical: anchoring the point of attack, disrupting the mesh point, and holding firm in short-yardage and goal-line scenarios—areas where Dallas was consistently bullied last year.
With a contract extension in hand, it’s time to raise the floor. If Odighizuwa can’t improve his run defense, the Cowboys likely won’t improve theirs. And one of the most important players who must deliver might tank the whole operation before it gets off the ground.
Can Solomon Thomas Be More Than A Depth Piece?
Solomon Thomas is a journeyman at this point in his career, and he’s not here to be anyone’s savior. But in a scheme like Eberflus’, he’ll be filling an important role at the 3-tech behind Odighizuwa. Thomas is a veteran leader and a strong schematic fit—athletic, explosive, and relentless.
What he brings to Dallas is exactly what Eberflus wants from his defensive tackles: athletic burst and a tireless motor. His role: keep the guards off the linebackers and limit explosive runs. He may no longer be a high-end starter, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be crucial. If he can spell Odighizuwa without the run defense falling apart, he becomes one of the more valuable pieces on the roster.
Thomas was a rotational player last year with the New York Jets, and his raw numbers left a lot to be desired: his 45.6 PFF overall grade was bottom fifth in the league last year. But there’s reason for optimism. His traits align with what Eberflus wants to do, and a fresh start in his hometown could serve him well. And oh yeah, he’s absolutely jacked. Pushing almost 300 rock-solid pounds, he looks better than ever. And if he maintains his athleticism, he can be very disruptive for this defense.
There’s also a leadership component to Thomas’s role. He’s been through adversity far beyond football, grown through it, and emerged with purpose. That presence matters in a room filled with players who must deliver.
Thomas isn’t here to take over. He’s here to raise the standard—and hold it. That might be exactly what this front needs.
Who Will Start At MIKE LB?
The 3-tech may anchor the Matt Eberflus defense, but the MIKE linebacker is a close second in terms of importance. That’s where things get a little dicey. Who’s playing the middle? Who’s wearing the “green dot?” This might be the biggest lingering question heading into training camp.
The leader in the clubhouse at this moment, presumably, is Kenneth Murray. Acquired via trade after five up-and-down seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers and Tennessee Titans, he brings plus athleticism and explosiveness, but also real concerns. He’s seen as a liability in coverage, and his 35.0 PFF run defense grade in 2024—admittedly not the be-all end-all—was 185th out of 189 qualified linebackers. Yikes. Murray has been slow to diagnose plays, missed too many tackles, and gets washed out by blockers too easily.
Still, there’s reason to believe a turnaround is possible. Eberflus is a linebackers coach by trade who consistently gets stellar play out of that unit. His system simplifies reads and responsibilities, which should benefit a player like Murray. He’s a great athlete, and that’s what you want him to be. He won’t be tasked with organizing a complex defense or disguising exotic pressures—just reading, reacting, and tackling.
Murray understands the assignment.
“The first thing you need to start building a great defense is stopping the run,” Murray said via the DLLS Cowboys podcast. “When they just running it down your throat, it’s unacceptable.”
Unacceptable indeed. Now we’ll see if he can do something about it.
