Cowboys LOOK: 'Wolf Hunter' LB Vander Esch Feeds Wild Bear
Dallas Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch is no stranger to proving his fearsome nature to his competitors.
The former first-round selection by the Cowboys in the 2018 NFL Draft - an avid outdoorsman with the "Wolf Hunter'' nickname - is among the team’s toughest defenders against both the running and passing games of Dallas’ opponents.
Recently, the native of Boise had a one-on-one encounter of a different kind during a recent fishing trip in his home state.
While he is used to encountering Bears [albeit of the Chicago variety] on the field, Vander Esch posted a video on his social media showing him feeding a fish to a wild bear from the deck of a fishing boat.
via: vander_esch38, Instagram
“Definitely a couple firsts this weekend. Not often you get to feed a wild bear and get a picture with two sturgeon in the same frame. Amazing weekend with family making memories that will last a lifetime! Thank you @killgoreadventures for an awesome trip,” Vander Esch posted on Instagram.
The Boise State product has been a prominent member of the Cowboys for the past four seasons. He had a solid rookie season, logging 102 solo tackles [two, for loss], seven passes-defensed and two interceptions. However he has since yet to recapture that type of performance, combining for 77 tackles in 2021. While his dip in production may have created a modest market for his services, his strength and athleticism made him an intriguing candidate for return to Dallas’ linebacking corps.
As such, he agreed to a very affordable one-year deal to return to the Cowboys in the offseason.
While his pro career has seen a great deal of ebb and flow, Vander Esch is poised for a bounce back year in 2022. The 26-year-old is at his best when getting notable help from his defensive line. With defensive linemen Neville Gallimore and Osa Odighizuwa expected to split duties on the inside, Vander Esch is expected to capitalize on the additional protection from the defensive front.
Despite playing only 460 defensive snaps for Dallas in 2021, Vander Esch is projected to share time with fellow linebacker Jabril Cox on the Cowboys’ two-linebacker personnel on defense, with Micah Parsons often moving to and from the EDGE.
The Cowboys are set to open 2022 training camp on July 26 in Oxnard ... and the "Wolf Hunter'' will return to track down opposing ball-carriers.
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