With the opener less than a week away, the Cowboys have reached the point where the offseason is no longer theory. The moves are in, the roster is mostly set, and now Dallas has to live with the choices it made.
A big part of that conversation starts up front. The Cowboys largely passed on a major offensive line overhaul for the 2026 season, putting a lot of the burden on players such as Tyler Guyton to make a real leap.
That makes the left tackle spot one of the most important pressure points on the roster. As one analysis put it, this season is “absolutely make or break for Guyton at left tackle.”
Dallas drafted him as a raw prospect, but that label only carries so much weight.
The rest of the roster-building picture has a different feel. Dallas added depth and tried to shore up critical spots, and that approach shows up on defense as well.
Caleb Downs is viewed as a player whose “big brain” gives the Cowboys real flexibility. Because he processes the game so well, the team can use the rookie defensive back in the slot, near the line of scrimmage, or deep in the backfield.
That defensive planning also ties into a bigger question: can the Cowboys get more out of their unit than the Rams do over the long run? On paper, there’s no argument that the Rams have the more talented defense from top to bottom.
Still, there’s at least a case for Dallas if coaching, depth, and youth development all hit. The Cowboys’ defensive approach under Christian Parker leaned into that idea, with Parker focusing on quality starters who fit specific roles and, just as importantly, rebuilding depth at all three levels.
Cap management is part of the same puzzle, and Dallas created some room by restructuring Daron Bland and Jake Ferguson. But that flexibility comes with a catch.
If the Cowboys don’t put that cap space to work, the move only pushes problems into 2027. Ferguson’s restructure increases his 2027 dead cap hit and makes it far less likely Dallas would move on.
Bland’s situation is complicated too after his second surgery on his left foot in January.
There was also a smaller preseason matter that turned into a real penalty. Malik Davis was fined $6,735 for unnecessary roughness after an illegal use of the helmet in the first quarter of the preseason Week 2 game against the Arizona Cardinals at the 12:07 mark. It’s the kind of fine that usually shows up after games, but Davis was the only Cowboys player punished during the preseason.
All of that feeds into the broader feeling around the team as the season approaches. After a rough last year and a busy offseason, fans were asked to grade the Cowboys’ work. The results were encouraging: 54% gave Dallas a “B,” 37% gave them an “A,” and only 9% landed in the combined “C” through “F” range.
In Other News...
Cowboys Suddenly Have A Real Backup RB Battle Behind Javonte Williams
The Cowboys quietly added another layer to their backfield last week when they claimed Emari Demercado off waivers, giving the team a fresh name to consider behind Javonte Williams. For a roster that has been sorting through its running back depth, Demercados arrival brings some real competition into a spot that had been sitting with Malik Davis by default.
Demercado comes with more NFL experience and a style that could fit alongside what Dallas wants to do on offense, which is why this is becoming more than just a routine waiver claim. Davis still has the inside track for now, but the presence of a new challenger makes the backup job worth watching as the Cowboys try to settle their depth chart. [Read more 🡒]
Malik Davis Adds One Wrinkle To His Surprise Cowboys Rise
Malik Davis preseason became a small but notable storyline for the Cowboys, especially as the running back room kept shifting around him. With Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah both part of the roster conversation, Davis managed to secure the backup role behind Javonte Williams, giving Dallas a little more clarity in a spot that had looked unsettled not long ago.
The final wrinkle came after the preseason ended, when the NFL fined Davis $6,735 for unnecessary roughness because of illegal use of the helmet against the Arizona Cardinals. He was the only Cowboys player fined over that stretch, a reminder that even a rise up the depth chart can come with a little extra attention attached. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Are Finally Treating One Neglected Position Very Differently
The Cowboys spent the 2026 offseason making a point of fixing a spot that has too often been treated like an afterthought. By signing free agents Jalen Thompson and P.J. Locke, then trading up in the draft to take Caleb Downs, Dallas made it clear it wanted more than depth at safety. It was a notable shift for a franchise that has historically put very little into the position over the past three decades.
For a team built under Jerry Jones, the level of urgency stood out as much as the names themselves. These moves amount to one of the most aggressive attempts the Cowboys have made to upgrade safety, and they suggest the front office finally sees the position as something more than a place to patch holes. The bigger question now is whether this reset can change the way Dallas defends the back end, and how quickly the new pieces can justify the investment. [Read more 🡒]