DALLAS (105.3 The Fan) - The Cowboys have informed the agent for linebacker Leighton Vander Esch that they will not be picking up the fifth-year option on his contract, NFL Network's Jane Slater reported Monday.
Slater adds that the decision came down due to "ongoing salary-cap uncertainty" and that the Cowboys still hope to sign Vander Esch to a contract extension before his contract expires in 2022.
The Cowboys have yet to comment publicly on their decision as they have until 3 p.m. to determine whether or not they would pick up the option.
Cowboys COO Stephen Jones will join the GBag Nation at 3 p.m. CT today to discuss the team's decision and much more.
The concern level with the Cowboys' current linebacking core was obviously very high heading into the NFL Draft as the Cowboys selected Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons with the No. 12 overall pick and LSU linebacker Jabril Cox in the fourth round.
Early last week, Jones told 105.3 The Fan that the team hadn't "had deep discussions" about whether or not they would be picking the option and they would wait until after the draft to make that determination.
That comment was a clear indication that Dallas wanted to see if they could find Vander Esch's future replacement first before making any decisions. But they might have found both a replacement for Vander Esch and Jaylon Smith all in the matter of three days.
At the press conference following the Parsons' selection, Jones said the decision to draft the former Nittany Lion didn't alter their discussions regarding Vander Esch.
“I don’t think it affects it,” Jones said. “We’ll make a decision on Leighton — we’ll make that decision when the time comes. We’ve got some discussions to have on that, period.”
But with Parsons and a linebacker with a second-round grade, who was picked up in the fourth (Cox) now in the fold, we all know that isn't true.
The Wolf Hunter, as he's called around these parts, is expected to enter the season with a clean bill of health after a neck injury forced him to miss seven games in 2019, and collar bone and ankle injuries forced him to miss another six games in 2020. The 25-year-old will be no doubt be out for blood to prove his worth to this franchise and 31 others.
