Linebacker Eric Kendricks was nearly a San Francisco 49er this offseason, before ultimately and abruptly changing course and signing with the Dallas Cowboys as the franchise’s lone marquee addition during free agency.
Kendricks initially agreed to a deal with the 49ers, before eventually landing with the Cowboys, where he’ll be asked to play a starring role in coordinator Mike Zimmer’s defense, whom he played for when the pair were together with the Minnesota Vikings.
That leadership role and what he’ll be asked to do in a Cowboys uniform proved to be a determining factor in his surprising decision during free agency.
“I think I would’ve taken more of a reserve role [in San Francisco],” Kendricks said, via Jon Machota of The Athletic, “whereas I feel I have a lot left to give and I wanted to be here and be middle linebacker. I wanted to share my experience with the team, share my leadership abilities and command that huddle.”
With the Cowboys, Kendricks will wear the green dot on his helmet as a key communicator between the coaching staff and the players on the field while also serving as a mentor to the younger linebackers on the roster thanks to his familiarity with Zimmer’s scheme.
In San Francisco, there’s a chance that Kendricks’ role might have eventually been diminished if Dre Greenlaw is able to get healthy and back on the field after rupturing his Achilles tendon during the 49ers’ Super Bowl 58 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Kendricks arrives in Dallas after producing a career-high 117 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks in his lone season with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Mike Zimmer Brought Out The Best in Eric Kendricks
Getty49ers near-signee Eric Kendricks abruptly bolted for the Cowboys
The Cowboys would love to see Kendricks return to the level of play Kendricks experienced during the prime of his career while playing for Zimmer in Minnesota.
Through his first six seasons with the Vikings, during Zimmer’s tenure as head coach, Kendricks produced 782 total tackles with 46 tackles for loss, 14 sacks, and nine interceptions, with two returned for touchdowns.
Kendricks was named a First-Team All-Pro selection and made a Pro Bowl appearance following the 2019 season.
Following Leighton Vander Esch’s retirement this offseason, the Cowboys will be looking for Kendricks to continue playing at a high level as an anchor of the linebacking corps.
Mike Zimmer has High Hopes for Cowboys’ Rookie
Kendricks might represent Dallas’ present at linebacker, but Zimmer and the Cowboys have high hopes for third-round rookie Marist Liufau, chosen with the No. 87 overall pick in this year’s draft.
In a video from the war room released by the Cowboys, Zimmer let Liufau know just how hard he’d advocated for him during the pre-draft process.
“You sold me when you told me what everybody on the defense was doing when you were here,” Zimmer told Liufau.
“Thank you, man. I had a great time,” Liufau replied.
Liufau started 12 games for Notre Dame during the 2023 season, posting 44 total tackles with three sacks, six tackles for loss, two pass breakups, with one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
“Angular linebacker with endless energy,” NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein writes of Liufau. “But a level of impatience that can occasionally pull him out of positioning. Liufau plays with good short-area burst and a willingness to step downhill and leverage his gaps. At times, he will move unnecessarily and get trapped behind a second-level blocker or lose track of where the play is headed.”
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