The Dallas Cowboys knew they needed more help at linebacker after the 2017 season. Jaylon Smith still isn’t all the way back to what he once was and Sean Lee just can’t avoid injury season after season. Whenever Lee is not on the field, the dropoff on defense for Dallas is staggering. Change was needed.
So Dallas drafted Leighton Vander Esch in the first round, they drafted Chris Covington in the sixth round, and added Joe Thomas in free agency. They were determined to shake up the position by bringing in new blood.