Cowboy Camp: Leighton Vander Esch vs. Jabril Cox - Who Opens as Starter?

After signing a one-year, $2 million deal in the offseason, Cowboys LB Leighton Vander Esch is eager to prove that he may be one of the best values in the NFL.

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 is among the team’s toughest defenders against both the running and passing games of Dallas’ opponents. The Boise State product has been a 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 one-year deal to return to the Cowboys in the offseason.

And that can be a bargain for a starter - and yes, as training camp opened in Oxnard, California on Wednesday, there was LVE, working alongside Micah Parsons as a first-teamer.

While the market value may seem a bit low for a player of his prowess, injuries played a part in Vander Esch’s decline. He suffered a neck injury in 2019 that would eventually require surgery. He missed seven games but still produced 72 tackles (43 solos), one tackle for a loss, a half sack, three passes defended, and a forced fumble.

Amidst the specter of the COVID-19 pandemic, he broke his collarbone in week 1 of the 2020 season. The injury landed him on injured reserve until week 6. He would later suffer a high ankle sprain, costing him the season’s final two games. Still, Vander Esch still managed to amass 60 tackles (32 solos), including a tackle for a loss, a sack, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery on the season.

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 (successfully rehabbed back from injury and practicing now on a "pitch count'') on the Cowboys’ two-linebacker personnel on defense, with Micah Parsons moving to EDGE from time to time.

As the Cowboys continue to progress through training camp, it will be interesting to see the manner in which Vander Esch is deployed among the team’s linebackers. Should he see significant time with the starting unit - and that this moment, amid all the understandable excitement about second-year guy Cox - it may signal a return to prominence; not only in Dallas’ defense, but also across the league’s footprint.

Follow FishSports on Twitter

Follow Cowboys / Fish on Facebook

Subscribe to the Cowboys Fish Report on YouTube for constant daily Cowboys live-stream podcasts and reports!