The Dallas Cowboys will Leighton Vander Esch back on the field in 2020 after he missed seven games in 2019 due a neck injury stemming from spinal stenosis.
And he will return in a new position and as the point man in a new defense under coordinator Mike Nolan.
But first things first, Vander Esch said he is fully recovered from the neck surgery he had in January and does not believe it will be an issue as he moves forward.
He will play with a small neck roll under his pads to help with shock and possibility mitigate the spinal stenosis. He says he has been working out since the surgery. He has all of his strength back and said he is ready to go.
"I'm back better than I was with my strength before I got hurt," Vander Esch said on a video conference call with the media Thursday. "I feel amazing. Just excited. So pumped to be be out there."
Vander Esch, the team's first-round pick in 2018, said he has not talked to Cowboys Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin, who his career cut short due to spinal stenosis.
"That is all behind me," Vander Esch said. "I don't worry about my neck. That is behind me. People can think what they want to think. I don't want talk about it."
Vander Esch admitted that is was tough not being on the field last season and eventually going on injured reserve. He considers it learning experience and time of growth.
"That is always tough," Vander Esch said. "Just being a competitor, you never want something like that to happen. It was a big learning moment, growing up moment for me. Never take things for granted because it can be taken away at the blink of an eye. It was tough not being out there with my teammates. But I'm ready to go. Guns blazing forward right now."
Those blazing guns will be holstered in a new spot in 2020, according to Vander Esch. He will move to middle linebacker from the weak side spot he has played the first two years and Jaylon Smith, the former middle linebacker, will move to weak side and have some pass rush responsibility.
As far as the new defense is concerned, Vander Esch said there will more schemes, more disguises and, hopefully, more turnovers. The unit of under former coordinator Rod Marinelli failed to create turnovers and was criticized for being too plain and predictable with little to no deception.
"It's mainly just disguising and simplifying things, making sure you know what you're looking at, your keys," Vander Esch said. "We just keep adding things to our arsenal. It's going to be special for us. I think it's going to create a lot of opportunities for turnovers."
Vander Esch said the toughest thing for the Cowboys to get used to in training camp has been wearing the masks every where they go to adhere to COVID-19 protocols. It has made for a different camp. But they must do what is necessary to get the job done and stay safe for each other and their families.
"It is not the easiest thing to get used to," Vander Esch said. "Our job is to play football. We will do what we have to do. Wear our masks, social distance. Wear our masks in walk-through and meetings and every where we go. We are taking all the right precautions."
This our livelihood," Vander Esch added. "This is how we support our family. We have to make sure we are taking the correct precautions. You have to be careful and smart."
Vander Esch, however, said he does not plan to wear an extra long face shield that extends past his chin because it could affect his ability to breathe.
"I need to breathe when I am playing," Vander Esch said. "I am probably not going to do it. We're sweating, we're hitting, I don't think there's any way we're going to get around it by wearing a little shield on our chin."
