OXNARD, Calif. - When George Edwards was named defensive coordinator of the Vikings in 2014, his first key addition was a rookie linebacker from UCLA. That decision to draft Anthony Barr not only benefitted Minnesota, but Edwards as well.
And now eight years later, the Cowboys have both Edwards and Barr, who signed with the team this week.
On Friday, Edwards met with the media and corrected a reporter who asked if Barr was a "good guy" to work with.
"No, Anthony Barr is a great guy – on and off the field," Edwards said. "He's a true pro. He's going to pay attention to the details. His study habits, with his preparation, goes along with the gifts that he's blessed with athletically. He'll be a good player for us. He'll be good in our locker room. He'll be good off the field. He's a true pro at the end of the day, and that's a credit to him and the attention he puts to the detail."
Barr has excelled the most as an outside linebacker in a 4-3 scheme. The four consecutive years he made the Pro Bowl (2015-18), Barr only recorded a total of 9.5 sacks, and never more than 3.5 in a season.
But Barr has also rushed the quarterback from the outside, begging the question how the Cowboys will utilize him alongside Micah Parsons.
As for where Barr will line up, Edwards didn't share many of the details, only to say "we've got plenty of packages that will get all these guys on the field together."
Edwards added, "I think at the end of the day, knowing somebody where you're going into a new locker room, a new atmosphere is a plus. that you're ... obviously with his talents, he's got a lot of options to go. We're glad we've got him and the skill set he brings to us defensively."
-Nick Eatman (8/5)
