FRISCO, Texas — Rookie linebacker Jaishawn Barham started for the Dallas Cowboys against Washington on Sunday and wore the green dot, relaying the defensive call from the sideline to the huddle. Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said Wednesday at The Star that the staff monitors Barham during games because of how hard he plays.
Dallas drafted Barham out of Michigan in the third round in April, 92nd overall. He started in place of DeMarvion Overshown in the 37-20 win over the Washington Commanders.
Schottenheimer said Barham is one of several Cowboys doing assault-bike work to get their heart rates up.
“Young player,” Schottenheimer said. “He has been working really actually pretty hard on it. The best way to get in shape is to play. And so he’s working through that. But we do have certain things we do with a number of guys, not just Jaishawn, assault bike things that are good for getting their heart rate up and stuff like that.”
“But he plays the right way,” Schottenheimer continued. “So when he plays that way, he plays and runs hot. So you have to monitor during the game to give us reps and stuff like that.”
Barham suffered a stinger against Washington and returned. He forced a fumble on his first play back, and Dee Winters recovered it. Barham is listed behind Winters on the unofficial depth chart the Cowboys released Tuesday.
Rotations are part of what Dallas is still learning about its players, Schottenheimer said.
“I think that’s one of the things we’re kind of learning as we learn our guys a little bit is we can be better with some of the rotations throughout in terms of keeping guys fresh throughout and getting guys in there at different times,” Schottenheimer explained. “And I think it’s important to get young players reps, but he’s a guy that we’re certainly mindful of just because the way he plays.”
Jaishawn Barham Wearing Green Dot For Dallas Cowboys
Defensive coordinator Christian Parker, whom Schottenheimer called CP, sends the call in through the coach-to-player radio in the green-dot helmet. Barham played both off the ball and on it in college, first at Maryland and then at Michigan, Schottenheimer said.
“Well, the communication part of it, we’ve talked a lot about that over the last couple weeks,” Schottenheimer said. “I think, again, this guy’s really smart, really bright. Coming from Maryland, he’s been exposed to both. Then going to Michigan, he’s been exposed to both. This year, or last year, I guess, at Michigan, he played more off the ball, on the ball over those two years. So you see a guy that understands schemes and concepts.”
“I don’t know how many rookie linebackers in their second game are wearing the green dot,” Schottenheimer added. “So that tells you a lot about him in terms of his understanding of the scheme and what we’re doing. And I do think him being able to talk to CP through the coach to quarterback, or coach to green dot, I should say, has been really good for him as well.”
DeMarvion Overshown Unlikely For Baltimore Ravens Game
Overshown strained his hamstring in the 28-20 loss to the New York Giants on Sept. 13 after making 7 tackles. He is making good progress, Schottenheimer said Wednesday, but there is a low probability he plays Sunday.
Dallas elevated linebackers Curtis Robinson and Justin Barron from the practice squad for the Washington game. The Cowboys play the Baltimore Ravens at 3:25 p.m. CT Sunday at Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
