Based on what fans saw in Week 1, the Dallas Cowboys defense will need all the help it can get ahead of Sunday’s home opener against the Washington Commanders.
The Cowboys are already set to be without two starters in linebacker DeMarvion Overshown (hamstring) and safety Malik Hooker (forearm), meaning rookie linebacker Jaishawn Barham will wear the green dot on defense in just the second game of his career.
Fortunately, Barham and the Dallas defense now has one less weapon to worry about against Washington’s offense in Week 2.
Commanders Starting TE Ruled Out vs. Cowboys
Washington Commanders tight end Chig Okonkwo (85) celebrates after getting a first down against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second half at Lincoln Financial Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Commanders tight end Chig Okonkwo has officially been ruled out for Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury, Commanders head coach Dan Quinn told the media on Friday. It will mark the first game he’s missed in his NFL career after spending his first four seasons with the Tennessee Titans.
Aside from kickers and punters, it’s nearly impossible to find that kind of durability from a starting player in the NFL, especially in the 18-week era. This makes Okonkwo’s absence more notable than some might expect.
Though Okonkwo is not among the names fans think of when talking about the league’s best tight ends, he’s an underrated pass-catcher that has sneaky quickness in the open field combined with
During his time in Tennessee, he also proved capable of beating the defense down the field on vertical routes. A tight end with that kind of ability could be the catalyst of in exposing the flaws of a poor defense.
If the Dallas defense had shut down the Giants in Week 1, Okonkwo’s absence wouldn’t exactly be making headlines. Unfortunately that’s not the reality the Cowboys are living in until proven otherwise.
Brian Schottenheimer on Jaishawn Barham: “He’s Got Great Command”
Dallas Cowboys linebacker Jaishawn Barham (55) catches a pass during practice at the Ford Center at the Star Training Facility in Frisco, Texas. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Barham impressed during the preseason and has clearly earned the trust of the coaching staff with Overshown set to miss Week 2.
“He’ll be the green dot for us, and again, he’s got great command of what we’re doing,” Schottenheimer said Friday.
That said, Schottenheimer emphasized that the conversation surrounding the importance of the green dot often gets overblown. Barham has some added responsibility but it’s still on the defense as a whole to communicate with each other.
“The green dot I think gets overblown at times, and again, basically what you’re doing, you’re repeating the call, and then you’re setting fronts and all that, and then knowing it’s going to be a harder, more nonverbal week of communicating because of the crowd noise,” Schottenheimer said.
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