A Dallas Cowboys veteran may not be around by the time the regular season starts in September.
In an article written by Cowboys Wire’s K.D. Drummond, Drummond mentions 11 Cowboys veterans who are in “danger” of not making the 2024 roster. One of those players is none other than linebacker Damien Wilson. The 31-year-old linebacker rejoined the Cowboys as a member of the practice squad towards the end of the 2023 season after spending the first four seasons of his career (2015 through 2018) in Dallas.
The argument for Wilson being a fringe member of the 53-man roster is simple — he’s never worked for first-year defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer and is on the bottom of the linebacker depth chart.
“Wilson, an original Cowboys’ draft pick, went elsewhere and found glory, winning a Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs,” writes Drummond. “Out of the league, Dallas signed him down the stretch of 2023 when the ranks were depleted, and brought him back this offseason. He’s never worked with Zimmer and is probably around LB5 or LB6, so if any of the youngsters behind him show up he could be at risk.”
Damien Wilson Was Initially Drafted by Cowboys Back in 2015
The former fourth-round draft pick has actually spent the majority of his career as a starting linebacker. After spending his rookie season as a reserve, Wilson started six games during the 2016 season, posting 34 tackles. He would go on to start 16 games over his final two seasons with the Cowboys.
Wilson would then sign with the Kansas City Chiefs where he emerged as a full-time starting linebacker for the first time in his career. Not only did he post a career-best season (to that point) with 81 tackles, he won a Super Bowl when the Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV.
The 6-foot, 245-pound Wilson started one more year in Kansas City before signing a deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Wilson posted the best season of his career during his lone year in Jacksonville, posting 106 tackles — ranking second on the team — and three sacks.
After spending the 2022 season with the Carolina Panthers, Wilson did not play a single game during the 2023 season before signing a practice squad contract with the Cowboys at the end of the regular season.
During his eight seasons in the NFL, Wilson holds career totals of 419 tackles and nine sacks in 127 games and 73 games started.
Why Damien Wilson Faces Uphill Battle in Making Roster
The Cowboys signed UFL standout Willie Harvey Jr. in the offseason and he would likely be the top threat towards beating out Wilson for a spot on the 53-man roster. Harvey led the league in tackles as a member of the St. Louis Battlehawks and was named to the All-UFL team.
Outside of Harvey, the Cowboys also have 2023 third-round pick DeMarvion Overshown, who missed his rookie season due to injury along with fourth-year man Buddy Johnson and converted safety Markquese Bell.
While the idea of Wilson continuing his career with the Cowboys nearly a decade after he was drafted would be a nice story, it might be an uphill battle for him to beat out the 28-year-old Harvey — along with the other youngsters — for a roster spot.
