If there was one position group on the Dallas Cowboys defense that’s been a top-to-bottom mess all season long, it has to be the linebacker position. From the moment they took the field in Week 1, it’s been Dallas’ most problematic unit. Some of the dysfunction falls on the players, but coaching and the front office bear equal, if not more, responsibility.The offseason addition of Kenneth Murray is a prime example. Added in a March trade involving a Day 3 pick swap, Murray was a curious move from the start. Murray was regarded as one of the most disappointing draft picks of the 2020 NFL draft, yet the Cowboys traded for him.While supremely talented physically, he was often a total liability on the field. Slow processing speed, inconsistent execution, and frequent disappearing acts plagued his NFL film. People debated whether the Cowboys front office thought they could change him or they had a specific contributor role in mind for the Oklahoma product. Turns out they just wanted to hand him a starting job. All Murray has shown on the Cowboys in 2025 is the exact same thing he showed everyone in his previous NFL stops: that he’s unreliable, undisciplined and seemingly uninterested. Instead of the Cowboys taking snaps from the poorly performing veteran, they’ve allowed him to stay on as a starter, essentially endorsing his subpar play.Watch #59NO CLUE WHAT HE’S DOINGpic.twitter.com/IMUJ3hJe1Y— Tom Downey (@WhatGoingDowney) December 5, 2025Murray technically hasn’t been disappointing in his play because he’s playing exactly the same as he always has and exactly the level the Cowboys should have expected. It truly falls on the front office who brought him to Dallas and on the coaching staff who continues to play him.Just a few clips of the state of LB play vs the Detroit Lions. pic.twitter.com/qPAXfAkXUw— Bob Sturm (@SportsSturm) December 5, 2025This isn’t to say other LBs like Marist Liufau, Jack Sanborn or Logan Wilson have been better in their opportunities, because they have been disappointing in their own unique ways. The Cowboys have a diverse mix of young athletic LBs, smart veteran LBs, developmental LBs and hybrid LBs and none of them seem to be working. Even DeMarvion Overshown has been somewhat disappointing in his roles and responsibilities since returning from IR this year.The LB room sits aboard a rudderless ship in Dallas. It’s pretty clear a positional overhaul is, once again, in order, but before replacing the contents of the ship the Cowboys have to make sure the rudder is in place and aimed in the right direction.You can follow Reid on X @ReidDHanson and be sure to follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Rudderless ship: Cowboys LB spot is lost in development and direction