The Dallas Cowboys are all set for the upcoming NFL season after a highly regarded NFL draft, and their linebacker coach is excited about the new additions.

Patrick Walker, the staff writer of the Dallas Cowboys, reported that the LB coach, Scott Symons, is very optimistic about the new athletes the Cowboys brought in on Day 2 of the NFL Draft.

“I'm really excited about the guys that we currently have and the guys that we've added to this room, from a culture standpoint, from a leadership standpoint, I think we have a really good foundation to build on in there,” Symons said after the Day 2 moves.

On Day 2, the Cowboys drafted LB Jaishawn Barham with their third-round pick, who recorded 66 tackles and four tackles for loss in 2024. However, in the following season, he played as an edge rusher and recorded 32 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and four sacks for the Michigan Wolverines.

The Cowboys also added another veteran LB, Dee Winters, to the roster by trading their fifth-round pick. 

Symons recalled his time during the college rivalry between TCU, where Winters played linebacker, and SMU, where Symons served as the defensive coordinator.

“[Winters] was very disruptive, an extremely athletic linebacker and the clear leader of the [TCU] defense,” Symons said. 

Dee Winters recorded 79 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks, earning Fiesta Bowl Defensive MVP honors against Michigan, marking his college breakout year in 2022.

The plan to acquire him came very early, during the trade of Osa Odighizuwa to the San Francisco 49ers, and Symons has been excited since then.

What Can Winters and Barham Bring to the Cowboys' Defense?

The addition of Jaishawn Barham and Dee Winters signals a clear shift in how Dallas wants to play. 

Barham arrives as a hybrid athlete. While his junior season showed sideline-to-sideline range, his senior campaign showed edge-rusher ability. 

As per Vernon Hadnot from D210 Sports, Barham has a “reputation for speed, physicality, and a relentless motor and is known for his ability to track plays sideline to sideline.”

Meanwhile, Winters comes in as the veteran presence. He recorded 67 tackles and a 74-yard interception return touchdown during the 2025 NFL season, carrying that same disruptive energy Symons remembered from their college rivalry days.

Together, they give the Cowboys youth as well as experience, giving them a linebacker unit capable of working aggressively. The Cowboys have a plan, and whether it holds once the pads go on is a different conversation entirely.

What are your thoughts on these additions?

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Written by

Monika Khatai