The Dallas Cowboys kicked off their 2026 offseason by hiring defensive coordinator Christian Parker following a disappointing defensive performance in the 2025 season. At the same time, however, Dallas had an outside linebacker problem after losing Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence the previous season. That prompted Parker to move third-year linebacker Marist Liufau to outside linebacker ahead of the 2026 season.

The Cowboys wanted to turn Liufau’s physical strengths into a pass-rushing weapon while addressing a major need on the edge, especially as the team shifted toward a 3-4-based defensive structure. Although Liufau spent his first two seasons primarily as an inside linebacker, his strength, relatively long arms, and athleticism made him a good fit for Dallas at outside linebacker. The only caveat, however, is that the Cowboys will now have to find his replacement, at least for some games, after losing the preseason finale 27-24 to the Saints.

Liufau suffered a broken left forearm while tackling New Orleans Saints‘ running back Kendre Miller late in the first quarter on August 28. He initially exited the field with an apparent wrist issue before diagnostic tests confirmed the severe bone fracture. He will require surgery as early as Monday and will officially miss multiple weeks of the regular season. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer immediately offered his absolute support for the sidelined linebacker following the exhibition loss.

“What a great competitor. He’ll be back,” Schottenheimer declared to reporters during his postgame availability. The head coach also added, “Losing Marist as a football player is tough. Unfortunately, it’s part of the business. You guys all know him and the way he’ll attack his rehab.

“So, we’ll get surgery done as soon as we can and next man up. But yeah, he was a critical, critical part of not just two or three special teams, really all four. He’s a four-core guy that you just rely on and he plays the game with violence. We have some other guys in that locker room that do that as well.”

The Cowboys drafted Liufau in the third round, and he successfully played in all 34 games over his first two professional seasons. Liufau rapidly developed into an essential special-teams contributor during his second professional campaign.

He increased his special-teams participation from 35 percent as a rookie to an impressive 75 percent in 2025, logging 361 total snaps. His defensive playing time simultaneously decreased from 521 snaps in 2024 to 202 snaps in 2025. Certainly, the Cowboys weren’t getting much out of him as an off-ball linebacker.

Ultimately, Dallas transitioned Liufau from inside linebacker to outside linebacker to fit into Parker’s updated system. His teammates and coaching staff actively assisted him throughout this complex positional adjustment. At the same time, the 25-year-old LB put in heavy physical work to get ready for his new role on the roster.

“I think I’m like about 20 pounds heavier than I was playing at last season. First starts with eating, so I could eat. So, that was nice. Pretty much got the green light to eat,” Liufau told Sportsradio 96.7 FM/1310 The Ticket (KTCK-AM) at Cowboys training camp. “As far as training goes, I think I attacked mostly my pass rush, as far as changing up my training habits because I was going to be asked to pass rush a lot more on the edge.”

It’s worth noting that while Marist Liufau underwent a position change ahead of his third season, he wasn’t simply playing outside linebacker exclusively. In fact, he was being cross-trained at inside and outside linebacker and sometimes moved between the two before the snap.

Now, however, it remains uncertain how many weeks Liufau will miss during the regular season after breaking his hand. For now, he’ll undergo surgery on Monday and will have to rehab before making a healthy return.

The young defender demonstrated this exact psychological resilience after suffering a catastrophic lower-body injury at Notre Dame in 2021. The college medical staff originally expected that severe trauma to completely end his collegiate season.

Liufau aggressively initiated his collegiate rehabilitation process a mere two days after undergoing ankle reconstruction. He dedicated hours to the training room to strengthen his healthy right leg while his left ankle remained completely immobilized in a cast.

This exhaustive daily commitment perfectly prepared him for a highly successful transition to the professional ranks. The Dallas front office eventually rewarded that intense work ethic during the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

That said, amid Marist Liufau’s absence, the active roster features several intriguing options to fill his impending defensive void.

DeMarvion Overshown represents the most experienced available candidate and offers legitimate Pro Bowl-level potential. The veteran brings immense talent to the field while actively navigating his own extensive injury history. Dee Winters showcased massive improvement during training camp and could absorb a significantly larger role alongside rookie Jaishawn Barham.

This linebacker reshuffling occurs alongside several other critical medical updates across the overall roster.

Cowboys players are recovering well ahead of the season

The Cowboys entered their preseason finale boasting a remarkably healthy starting lineup. The franchise’s premier superstars successfully avoided any major medical setbacks throughout the grueling training camp schedule. A handful of depth players managed minor physical ailments during the final week of August. The medical staff closely monitored a highly promising tight end dealing with a lower-extremity issue.

Michael Trigg nursed a minor toe injury before successfully rejoining team practice sessions. The Cowboys systematically integrated him back onto the field on Wednesday to ensure his physical progression remained steady. Trigg thoroughly impressed the coaching staff during training camp and established himself as a player harboring massive offensive potential. Three additional players completely missed the final practice session before the New Orleans matchup due to lingering injuries.

Ajani Cornelius managed a knee injury, Jonathan Bullard rehabbed a groin problem, and Julius Wood entered the league’s concussion protocol. All three athletes missed the team’s final practice session prior to the exhibition contest. Wood’s specific medical absence carries massive implications for his immediate professional future. The young safety faces a fiercely competitive battle to secure a spot on the final 53-man roster.

Wood is actively competing against Markquese Bell and Alijah Clark to secure a highly coveted depth role in the defensive secondary. Bell and Clark both logged spectacular performances on special teams, significantly elevating the stakes for the final roster evaluation. The Dallas coaching staff will finalize these roster decisions while integrating their recovering athletes back onto the active practice field for the 2026 season kickoff.