Dallas Cowboys

Dallas Cowboys could have a surprise starter at linebacker on Sunday

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Entering Sunday night’s matchup against the winless Chicago Bears, the Dallas Cowboys could feature a new starter along their defensive front seven.

The Dallas Cowboys received potentially devastating news earlier this year when the NFL levied a 10-game suspension on starting middle linebacker Rolando McClain. The length of the ban was due to his several violations of the league’s substance abuse policy. With McClain suspended, the Cowboys were forced to find a new starter at the position.

The next in line was former fourth round pick Anthony Hitchens. But through the first two games of the regular season, the 24-year old has played poorly recording a total of only nine tackles. Likely playing out of position as many think he’s a much better Will linebacker, Hitchens is a liability in coverage and lacks the explosion to make plays that we saw from him earlier in his career.

In Week Two’s victory over the Washington Redskins, Hitchens was actually replaced late in the game, in the contest’s most critical situation, by linebacker Justin Durant. The 31-year old veteran impressed in his limited snaps and even had a pass deflection on a game-changing fourth down stand that forced a turnover on downs.

Hitchens’ play has been so poor, and Durant so impressive, that DallasCowboys.com football analyst Bryan Broaddus believes their could be a changing of the guard at the middle linebacker position this Sunday against Chicago.

“I would not be one bit surprised if Justin Durant starts at Mike linebacker against the Chicago Bears next week,” Broaddus wrote on the team’s official website on Monday. “His time on the field against the Redskins was better than that of Anthony Hitchens. The thought has always been that Hitchens is a better Will than he is a Mike, and that is starting to show…Durant gives them a little more stoutness at the point and instincts in coverage.”

Durant originally came to the Cowboys back in 2013 as a free agent. The year before, the now 10-year veteran recorded a career-high 103 total tackles as a member of the Detroit Lions. But injuries limited Durant to just 16 games in two seasons. When he was on the field in Dallas, Justin played well recording a total of 73 tackles, five pass defends and an interception.

Durant left the Cowboys to play with the Atlanta Falcons last year. His 82 total tackles in 13 games proved he still had plenty left in the tank. And when the Cowboys needed linebacker depth prior to the start of training camp in July, the available Durant, who had been released by the Falcons, was a perfect fit.

Although Durant is certainly not the long-term answer at the position, the 31-year old is likely the best candidate the Cowboys have right now at middle linebacker. At the most, the veteran could be a bridge player for when (or if) McClain returns. At the very least, Durant is simply part of a rotating band-aid that will cover the position until the Cowboys 2016 second round pick out of Notre Dame, linebacker Jaylon Smith, is healthy enough to pick up the mantle.