The Dallas Cowboys are gearing up to turn the page on a challenging 7-9-1 season, and they're not holding back on making some big moves to ensure a brighter future. With a revamped defensive coaching staff, led by the new defensive coordinator Christian Parker, the Cowboys are retooling their roster to fit his scheme. However, like any team in transition, there are still areas ripe for improvement, particularly as they head into training camp.
One area to watch is the backup center position. The Cowboys opted not to re-sign their reliable backup center Brock Hoffman, choosing instead to bring in Matt Hennessy from the Atlanta Falcons.
Unfortunately, Hennessy is sidelined with a neck injury, leaving Dallas to test T.J. Bass as a potential backup for Cooper Beebe.
If Bass or Nick Leverett don't prove to be the right fit, the Cowboys might turn their attention to the Buffalo Bills, who have a surplus of talent behind their starter Connor McGovern. Options like Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, a promising fifth-round pick, and seasoned veterans like Lloyd Cushenberry and Austin Corbett could be intriguing trade targets to shore up the Cowboys' depth.
On the offensive side, Jaydon Blue is making waves as he competes for the RB2 spot behind Javonte Williams. Blue has shined in offseason workouts, but should Williams be sidelined, the Cowboys might need a more robust backup.
Enter James Conner, a bruising back familiar with Dallas offensive coordinator Klayton Adams. With the Arizona Cardinals leaning towards younger options, Conner might be available for a late-round draft pick, offering Dallas a seasoned option to complement their backfield.
Defensively, the Cowboys bolstered their pass rush by adding Rashan Gary and Malachi Lawrence, joining Donovan Ezeiruaku as key players in their defensive front. Despite this, adding another edge rusher could elevate their defense to the next level.
Alex Highsmith from the Pittsburgh Steelers could be a name to watch. With the Steelers extending Nick Herbig, Highsmith might become available.
His 45 sacks in 90 career games and experience in a 3-4 defense make him an appealing option for Dallas, potentially available for a third-round pick and a veteran player. Adding Highsmith could turn a perceived surplus into a strategic advantage, especially after the pass-rushing struggles of last season.
As the Cowboys continue to fine-tune their roster, these potential moves could provide the depth and firepower needed to make a significant impact in the upcoming season.
In Other News...
Cowboys Early Roster Projection Puts Familiar Names In Serious Danger
With July approaching, the Cowboys first pass at a 53-man roster already hints at a lot of familiar names getting squeezed. The projection is less about locking anything in and more about mapping the competition at every spot, from quarterback to the back end of the defense, while also weighing which rookies can push their way into bigger roles before the season arrives.
One of the trickier calls sits behind the starting quarterback, where Dallas may end up carrying three passers but still has to sort out a backup pecking order. The same uncertainty runs through the rest of the roster, with a few players who logged real snaps last season suddenly looking vulnerable and others, including rookies like Jaishawn Barham and LT Overton, offering the kind of long-term promise that can make these early projections feel more like a warning than a prediction. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Are Suddenly Getting The Respect Fans Never Expected
The Cowboys have spent plenty of recent offseasons under a cloud of frustration and second-guessing, but this one is drawing a different kind of attention. Around the league, several personnel executives are looking at Dallas as one of the NFLs most improved teams, with the roster moves and coaching decisions giving the franchise a steadier, more credible feel than it has had in a while.
A big part of that perception comes from how the defense has been upgraded and how the staff has been shaped, including Brian Schottenheimers choice to bring in Christian Parker to run the unit. There is also a sense that the front office has handled the business side more cleanly, from the George Pickens situation to contract decisions that no longer seem to linger as distractions, which is why some evaluators are now discussing Dallas in a way fans have not been used to hearing. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Already Took A Hit Where This Roster Could Least Afford It
The Cowboys have spent enough time talking about ceilings and upside this spring, but the latest reminder of how thin the margin can be came in a place Dallas could least afford it. With Dak Prescott coming off a strong 2025 season, the bigger picture still points toward a roster that needs its quarterback to keep playing at that level while the front office tries to manage what comes next on the cap. At the same time, the defensive side is being shaped by Christian Parkers expected Vic Fangio-style approach, which puts even more pressure on the line to create disruption without much blitz help.
That is why the early look at a rookie edge rusher such as Malachi Lawrence matters so much to this team. Dallas needs pass rush juice to show up quickly, and it needs it from players who can fit into a system built around patience, discipline and pressure from the front four. If that kind of help is going to come, it has to come soon, because the roster does not have many obvious places left to absorb another hit. [Read more 🡒]