The No. 1 priority for the Dallas Cowboys this offseason is improving the defense. One position that could use some love is linebacker.
The Cowboys have a promising young linebacker in DeMarvion Overshown, but who Dallas deploys next to him in 2026 remains to be seen.
Dallas acquired Logan Wilson at the trade deadline, but he didn’t provide the boost Dallas was hoping for and he’s far from a lock to stay with the team, especially with a new defensive coordinator and a contract that carries zero dead-cap hit if he’s cut.
Another potential option is Kenneth Murray, who signed a one-year deal with Dallas last offseason. However, Murray did not have a good season with the Cowboys and it’s very possible he is allowed to walk in free agency.
Knowing all that, Pro Football Focus’ Mason Cameron has named the Cowboys the best landing spot for Cleveland Browns pending free agent linebacker and former Pittsburgh Steelers first-round draft pick Devin Bush.
“Bush revitalized his career in Cleveland. He took on an increased role in 2025 and posted a career-best 87.6 PFF overall grade, third best among qualifying linebackers this season,” Cameron said. “The 27-year-old linebacker has posted two consecutive seasons with PFF run-defense grades above 85.0, but he sets himself apart with a strong 80.4 PFF coverage grade, as well.”
Once written off as a bust, Bush has played great football in each of the past two years for the Browns.
In 2024, he ranked seventh, 14th and eighth among linebackers in PFF overall, pass-rush and run defense grades.
He then followed that up with rankings of fourth, 30th and eighth in those same categories in 2025 while also boosting his coverage grade to 80.4, which ranked fourth at the position.
Bush has also proven to be quite the versatile playmaker on defense with his three sacks and three interceptions during his time with the Browns. All three of those picks came in 2025 and he returned them for a league-high 164 yards.
Bush’s ability to play the run will be particularly intriguing for a Cowboys team that has ranked 29th and 23rd against the run the last two seasons. And, assuming his showing in coverage in 2025 wasn’t a fluke, he’ll help out the pass defense, also.
If he can keep up those numbers, or at least come close, he would amount to a huge upgrade over Wilson and Murray and could form an elite duo with Overshown.
According to Spotrac, Bush is estimated for a three-year, $26.6 million deal, which works out to $8.9 million annually.
Most of that could be covered if the Cowboys cut Wilson, which would save the team $6.5 million in 2026 and $7.2 million in 2027, per Over The Cap.
If the Cowboys have an opportunity to sign Bush, it’s a move Jerry Jones should pull the trigger on.
