Cowboys LISTEN - Film Study: What's 'Wrong' With Leighton Vander Esch?

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch recorded a season-high 12 tackles in the team's loss to the Denver Broncos. In the four games since then, Vander Esch recorded nine tackles combined.

Once a promising first-round draft pick, Vander Esch's stock has decreased season after season to the point where the Cowboys declined his fifth-year option and drafted his eventual replacement Micah Parsons in the first round of this past draft.

The former Boise State Bronco is still getting a decent amount of playing time, playing in over 50 percent of defensive snaps in all but two games this season, but the volume is not where it once was.

His last two seasons have spent a chunk of time on the sidelines with injuries, but this season, he's taken a backseat role to Parsons as the team's leading tackler and it minimizes his value.

Vander Esch still has the talent to be a solid linebacker and play a significant role for the Cowboys down the stretch, but either the team or Vander Esch needs to adapt to where they are in 2021, not 2018.

In this episode of the "Locked On Cowboys" Podcast, hosts Marcus Mosher and Landon McCool review the All-22 notes from the Week 13 win for the Cowboys.

They discuss why the offense is struggling, the Vander Esch problem and cornerback Anthony Brown's comeback against the Saints.

Marcus and Landon deal with all that more on this episode of "Locked On Cowboys." Join us here!