The Dallas Cowboys have never been shy about making headlines under Jerry Jones, but the 2026 offseason isn’t about flash - it’s about fixing what’s broken. And right now, the cracks are deep on one side of the ball.
After boasting one of the NFL’s most explosive offenses in 2025, the Cowboys watched their season unravel thanks to a defense that couldn’t stop anyone. The imbalance was glaring, and it’s forced Dallas into a moment of truth: if the offense is built to win now, the defense can’t be allowed to lag behind.
The quickest path to restoring balance? Swinging for the fences with trades that can reshape the roster in a hurry.
Let’s be clear: this isn’t just a tweak-and-tune situation. Dallas finished 7-9-1 last year, missing the playoffs for the second straight season.
And while the record stings, it’s the way the team got there that’s most telling. First-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer oversaw an offense that lit up the scoreboard.
Dak Prescott looked like his old self again, leading the league’s second-ranked offense. He found instant chemistry with George Pickens, who arrived via trade and became a vertical threat defenses had to respect.
On the ground, Javonte Williams delivered a breakout campaign, racking up over 1,200 yards and giving Dallas a legitimate dual-threat attack.
But all that firepower went to waste because the defense couldn’t hold up its end. The decision to trade away Micah Parsons left a void that never got filled.
The result? Dallas gave up more points than any team in franchise history and finished dead last in scoring defense.
That’s not just a bad season - that’s a full-blown collapse. There were a few silver linings - All-Pro kicker Brandon Aubrey was rock solid, and rookie pass rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku showed flashes - but those bright spots were few and far between.
Now, the mandate is clear: rebuild the defense or risk squandering a championship-caliber offense.
Complicating matters is the Cowboys’ salary cap situation. They’re projected to be around $30-32 million over the cap, largely due to massive deals for Prescott and CeeDee Lamb.
Prescott’s cap hit alone is a staggering $74.1 million, while Lamb adds another $38.4 million. That kind of top-heavy structure doesn’t leave much room to maneuver - unless Dallas gets aggressive with restructures.
And that’s exactly what they’ll need to do. Restructuring Prescott and Lamb’s deals could free up over $50 million in space, turning a cap crunch into spending flexibility. That’s a critical step if the Cowboys want to fix the defense through trades instead of relying solely on the draft.
So what does a defensive rebuild look like in Dallas? It starts up front, where the pass rush still hasn’t recovered from losing Parsons.
Ezeiruaku has upside, but he can’t carry the load alone. The Cowboys need a proven edge rusher who can anchor the front and change games.
Enter Maxx Crosby.
If Dallas wants to make one move that immediately changes the tone on defense, trading for Crosby is it. The Raiders are in rebuild mode, and Crosby’s name is already being floated in trade talks.
The fit in Dallas makes too much sense. He brings relentless energy, leadership, and the kind of edge presence this defense sorely lacks.
Pairing him with Ezeiruaku gives Dallas a dynamic pass-rushing duo - one that can actually get off the field on third down.
There’s also a deeper connection here. Crosby’s Texas roots would make this move resonate beyond just Xs and Os. It would signal to the locker room and the fanbase that the Cowboys are serious about contending, not just talking about it.
Of course, adding a player like Crosby comes with a cost, and that’s where things get tricky. Dallas would love to keep George Pickens after his Pro Bowl season.
But with Lamb already on a big-money deal and the cap situation tight, keeping both wideouts long-term may not be feasible. That opens the door for a tag-and-trade scenario with Pickens.
And there’s one team that should be very interested: the New York Jets.
The Jets are desperate to give Garrett Wilson a true running mate, and Pickens fits the bill. He’s physical, wins contested catches, and brings a vertical element to any offense.
For Dallas, tagging and trading Pickens could bring back a first-round pick and clear over $25 million in cap space. That’s a tough pill to swallow emotionally, but strategically, it makes sense.
It’s a chance to convert offensive surplus into defensive assets - a necessary trade-off if the Cowboys want to make real progress.
Then there’s the secondary. If there was one area that consistently let Dallas down in 2025, it was the back end.
Too many big plays, too many communication breakdowns, and not nearly enough playmaking. Fixing that might require more than just a free agent or two - it could mean moving up in the draft to get a true difference-maker.
Dallas currently holds the No. 12 and No. 20 picks. Packaging those to move into the Top 10 would be bold, but it’s exactly the kind of move that could land them a foundational piece.
Think Caleb Downs - a safety prospect with the instincts, range, and leadership to transform the secondary. He’s the kind of player who can clean up deep coverage issues, bring stability to the back end, and become the voice of the defense.
Rather than spreading resources across a handful of mid-tier additions, Dallas would be investing in a singular defensive pillar. That kind of philosophical commitment - going all-in on a player who can anchor the unit for years - is what this defense needs.
So here’s the blueprint for Dallas’ offseason:
- Trade for Maxx Crosby to restore the pass rush and bring back defensive swagger.
- Tag and trade George Pickens to free up cap space and recoup draft capital.
- Package picks to move up for Caleb Downs, giving the secondary a true cornerstone.
Each move addresses a different pain point. Together, they represent a franchise trying to flip the script - from a team with an elite offense and a broken defense to one that’s finally balanced, finally dangerous, and finally ready to contend.
The Cowboys don’t need a full rebuild. They need a rebalancing. And if they’re willing to be bold, 2026 could be the year they finally put it all together.