Middle linebackers were once the alpha of the defense—the male lion roaming the fields of the Serengeti.
Over the last few decades, the NFL had guys like Ray Lewis, Jack Lambert, Dick Butkus, and Mike Singletary.
They wreaked havoc on offenses for 60 minutes, clearing their path to Canton, Ohio.
The Dallas Cowboys took some time this offseason to hunt for one of those elite talents to orchestrate Dan Quinn’s defense.
It’s no secret Bobby Wagner was on Jerry Jones’ wish list.
He had prior experience with the defensive system. There wasn’t a substantial drop-off in production, and Dallas’ incumbent was an unrestricted free agent.
Dallas flirted with the idea and ultimately returned to what they knew, Leighton Vander Esch.
There’s a thing called the circle of life. On week 13, Seattle will visit AT&T stadium for a Thursday night matchup on Amazon Prime.
While Leighton and Bobby will never line up against one another, the linebacker from Boise State will hold his own and prove long-term to be a better choice to lead this defense – even if it was by default.
Will Bobby Wagner finally reach that inevitable cliff?
From a popularity standpoint, putting Wagner and Vander Esch in the same sentence is a non-starter.
Pro Football Focus would double down with that sentiment. The Seattle linebacker ended 2022 with a 90.7 overall defensive rating compared to 70.8 for Leighton.
I’m not going to argue that Vander Esch is better than Wagner. That would be silly.
However, when the 2023 season kicks off, one guy will be 26 years old and the other 33.
To this point in Wagner’s career, his production has remained strong, but father time knocks on everyone’s door at some point.
Could that be this year?
Dallas has walked this tightrope before.
Take, for example, the signings of Eddie George, Dontari Poe, and Gerald McCoy.
Eddie had just finished up a playoff run with the Titans and eclipsed his 7th 1000-yard season by the age of 30.
Dallas understood what they were getting, and unfortunately, he tipped over the cliff in just one year with America’s Team.
The front office saw the size, talent, and sack totals from years prior and could not look away from McCoy and Poe.
The team was desperate for defensive line help, but after injuries and lackluster effort only received pennies on the dollar in their return.
Granted, none of those players is Bobby Wagner, but they had name recognition and good stats from at least a year or two before.
Additionally, all three played physical positions similar to linebackers, where they took on many hits.
On defense, veteran leadership is necessary, but this is still a young man’s game.
Leighton’s best years are still to come
The most important reason to stick with Leighton Vander Esch is that his best years are ahead of him.
Sometimes it’s hard to remember he didn’t start his career with Dallas in this position.
He played some strongside and weakside, with the middle added in with specific packages.
Over his last three seasons, he has played predominantly the middle backer spot, and the results have been impressive.
He went from 60 tackles to 90 over that period.
The 2023 season is Leighton’s third season with the same defensive coordinator. He started with Rod Marinelli and then Mike Nolan.
Bobby Wagner earned his first All-Pro selection in his third season with Seattle. It was his second season with Quinn as the coordinator but his third year in the scheme.
Could Leighton make that same jump with his age and talent?
He could.
Will he ever be regarded in the same vein as Wagner? It’s improbable.
However, that’s different from what Dallas needs to win a Super Bowl or even beat Seattle on week 13.
If Vander Esch remains healthy, coupled with the quality of talent he now has on the defensive line, there is much more of a reward for the taking with his signing.
