The Cowboys spent the 2026 offseason trying to clean up a defense that had become a full-blown problem, and two of their best decisions came on that side of the ball. The other top move landed on offense, but the common thread was simple: Dallas attacked its biggest issues head-on.
The clearest fix was at defensive coordinator. Matt Eberflus was out after one season, and the move was impossible to argue with after what Dallas put on tape in 2025.
The Cowboys finished with the worst defense in the NFL, ranking 32nd in points and pass defense and 23rd against the run. Eberflus did inherit a rough situation after the unexpected trade of Micah Parsons, but that still didn’t excuse the level of dysfunction the unit showed.
Dallas then made a major swing in the draft by landing safety Caleb Downs at No. 11 overall. Christian Parker was a big fan of Downs, and Downs was widely considered one of the best prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Cowboys had to move up to make sure he didn’t get away, sending two fifth-rounders and their 12th pick to get the deal done.
That cost didn’t end up hurting them much, either. Later in the draft, Dallas traded back from No. 20 and picked up two fourth-rounders, effectively replacing the fifth-rounders it had given up to get Downs. It was the kind of maneuvering that made the first round look especially sharp.
On offense, the Cowboys made the expected call with George Pickens by tagging him. Letting him walk for nothing would have been a bad business decision after Dallas had already acquired him for a third-round pick just a year earlier. The real question was whether the team would go further and work out an extension.
It didn’t. In fact, Dallas never really intended to do that. There was no appetite for a long-term deal after one season of elite production and mostly good behavior, and Pickens still has to show he can stack that kind of year over year before anyone is ready to hand him a massive contract.
There was also a cap-management reason to keep things as they were. Extending Pickens would have tied up too much money at wide receiver once CeeDee Lamb is factored in. A tag and trade would have been the preferred route, but this was still the next-best outcome for Dallas.
In Other News...
Former Cowboys Defender Linked To Disturbing New Allegations
Former Cowboys defensive end Marcellus Wiley is back in the news for the wrong reasons, with his name now attached to a Florida domestic violence arrest and a separate set of allegations from his wife, Annemarie, that have pushed the situation well beyond a routine legal dispute. For Dallas fans who remember Wiley from his time on the edge, the story has taken on a deeply personal and unsettling tone as it moves from an alleged hotel altercation into family court and public accusations.
Annemarie has filed for divorce and sought a restraining order, while Wiley has denied the allegations and said he is focused on protecting their children as the legal process plays out. The case has already become more complicated with the couples family at the center of it, and the next developments are likely to matter as much for the personal fallout as for whatever comes next in court. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Have One Clear Answer To Washingtons Rasul Douglas Move
Washingtons addition of Rasul Douglas gives the Commanders another experienced option in their cornerback room, and it naturally puts a little more focus on how Dallas stacks up on the back end. The Cowboys have their own reasons to keep looking at the position, especially with the NFC East always turning roster moves into a measuring stick, and the contrast between the two teams corner groups is hard to ignore.
One name that keeps surfacing in that conversation is Kenny Moore, the veteran slot corner who was released by Indianapolis in May after the Colts were unable to find a trade partner. Moore has been one of the leagues more reliable nickel defenders for years, with a track record of handling a heavy workload inside and enough versatility to give a defense some flexibility. For Dallas, that kind of profile makes sense as the secondary continues to take shape around a division rivals latest move. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Pass Rush Just Sent A Message Fans Needed To See
A handful of Cowboys defenders are heading to Las Vegas next week for a pass-rush summit that says plenty about where this team wants its edge to come from. Rashan Gary, Donovan Ezeiruaku, Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark are set to join coach Brandon Jordan at the 2026 Sack Summit, a three-day gathering built for NFL rushers to trade technique, ideas and the kind of details that can change a season.
The timing matters, too, with training camp opening July 28 and Dallas still trying to bounce back from a defense that never found enough answers last year. For a unit that needs more disruption up front and better resistance against the run, the trip is less about offseason networking than it is about showing up with a plan, a sharper toolbox and a clearer sense of what the Cowboys need from them once camp begins. [Read more 🡒]