When Vander Esch was on the field last season, his performance was up and down. The former first-round pick had a 50.6 defensive grade from Pro Football Focus, the lowest mark of his career. In just 10 games he missed 10 tackles and recorded just 24 defensive stops, according to PFF. In his rookie year in 2018, Vander Esch had a team-leading 62 defensive stops.
Vander Esch’s inability to stay on the field and find consistent success while on it contributed to the Cowboys deciding not to pick up his fifth-year option ($9.