Is Caleb Downs the Cowboys best option for the green dot despite rook status
The Cowboys have added one of the smartest players in the draft, but is Caleb Downs ready to lead this defense?
Last season, the Dallas Cowboys struggled to find someone capable of wearing the green dot on defense. Someone who can receive the plays from the sideline and relay calls to teammates. A role that requires more than just talent; it demands command, communication, and the ability to get everyone aligned before the snap.
Right now, defensive coordinator Christian Parker and his staff are hoping to figure that out, and the sooner the better for a defense in need of a leader. Right now, it sounds like there are discussions going on inside the star on who will wear the green dot. While head coach Brian Schottenheimer believes a linebacker will wear the green dot, there's been talk of the Cowboys ' first-round pick Caleb Downs taking on that responsibility .
The Cowboys' options at the moment are razor thin. The club traded for Dee Winters, a middle linebacker with the San Francisco 49ers who started 17 games last season. But when Fred Warner went down, 49ers DC Robert Saleh gave the red dot to rookie Tatum Bethune for the final three months of the season.
It's easy to understand why Dallas continues to talk about how high Downs' football IQ is and his ability to process complex defensive concepts quickly. His Ohio St. safeties coach, Matt Guerrieri, raved about his former safety : Yeah, incredibly fast.