Before the 2024 season starts, the Dallas Cowboys are bolstering their defense with the addition of one of the most experienced veterans in the NFL. With five different NFL clubs over his 14-year career, Linval Joseph is bringing his skills to Cowboys Stadium.
The move was first reported on August 21 by Josina Anderson, a veteran NFL insider. Dallas is now Joseph’s new home after he spent the entire summer as a free agent.
Anderson posted on X, “Breaking: I am told the #Cowboys are signing DT Linval Joseph, per source.”
Joseph shows up not long after Mike Zimmer, the defensive coordinator for the Cowboys, publicly demanded that the team add additional players to the nose tackle position (more on that below). Joseph, who was playing for the Minnesota Vikings under Zimmer, was one of the best players at that position in the NFL in his peak.
But he will turn 36 in a little more than a month. Although Joseph’s most recent assignment with the Buffalo Bills was not exactly a success, it is unlikely that Dallas will be seeking for a significant role for Joseph. Rather, Joseph will most likely assume a rotating role, providing the Cowboys with a new interior presence.
Linval Joseph Wants to Rekindle Past Achievements
Joseph was a force to be reckoned with on a good NFL defense in 2016 and 2017. Defensive linemen rarely stand out, but Joseph did just that for the Vikings on a defense that had several Pro Bowlers.
Joseph recorded a career-high 77 tackles in 2016, including 5 tackles for loss and 4 sacks. According to Pro Football Reference, he followed up with 68 tackles in 2017, adding an additional 5 TFL and 3.5 sacks. Although Joseph enjoyed great success in the years prior and subsequent to Minnesota and Zimmer, his finest years were spent in those years.
Joseph has had trouble making an impression on new teams during the previous two years. For the Philadelphia Eagles, he started 11 games overall, but his production did not keep up with his workload.
Joseph found it difficult to get on the field with the Bills. He only participated in 35% of Buffalo’s defensive snaps and did not start in any of his seven outings.
DC of the Cowboys says the team needed new “noses.”
Joseph’s arrival coincides with the Cowboys’ open admission that they needed coverage at DT, as was previously reported. Though coach thinks rookie Cowboys DT Mazi Smith is doing a good job, Zimmer told reporters on August 14 that they still need more help.
“Mazi did a fantastic job in there. Obviously, we need to locate more noses; let us see how these young men fare. Thus, just sort of carrying on,” Zimmer remarked.
The depth chart on the Cowboys’ official website shows Justin Rogers as the third-string nose tackle and no second-string option. In essence, the chart indicates that Dallas lacks a serious backup at nose tackle.
Bringing in Joseph should be beneficial for the future as well as the present. Joseph is a skilled player who ought to be able to compete. However, he is currently among the league’s most seasoned players and should be able to impart some knowledge to Smith this season.
