It’s perhaps strange to consider that, at 26, Leighton Vander Esch is already an elder statesman on the Cowboys defense. Yes, cornerback C.J. Goodwin and edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence have already hit the big 3-0. And Devante Bond is technically the team’s oldest linebacker, though he has yet to play a down wearing the star.
But when the wide-eyed rookies come out of a meeting with defensive coordinator Dan Quinn these days, it’s Vander Esch who they’re increasingly looking to for guidance on how to do things the right way. The professional way. The Cowboy way.
Fresh off signing a one-year contract in March that will keep in him in Dallas for a fifth season, Vander Esch sat down with Cowboys Wire for a one-on-one conversation about his new role as a locker room mentor, his expectations for the team this year, which players he feels will take the next leap, how a new offseason regimen has gotten him in the best shape of his life, and how an off-the-field partnership is making him an even better leader on the field.
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