Cowboys Make Key Coaching Moves, Face Crucial Offseason Decisions Ahead
The Dallas Cowboys came into the 2026 offseason with one thing abundantly clear: changes had to be made-particularly on the defensive side of the ball. After a disappointing season that saw the Matt Eberflus experiment flame out quickly, Dallas wasted no time moving in a new direction, bringing in Christian Parker as the new defensive coordinator. And that was just the beginning.
Parker’s hire signaled a broader overhaul of the defensive coaching staff, a necessary step for a unit that struggled to find its footing in 2025. The Cowboys didn’t just swap out the coordinator and call it a day-they went deeper, targeting specific areas of weakness and bringing in fresh voices from around the league and the college ranks.
Ryan Smith, formerly with the Arizona Cardinals, joins as the new cornerbacks coach. Derrick Ansley, who had been with the Green Bay Packers, steps in as the pass game coordinator.
And Marcus Dixon, a former NFL defensive lineman who was coaching with the Vikings, will now lead the defensive line in Dallas. That’s three experienced hires from three different organizations, all with recent NFL credentials.
Adding to that, the Cowboys tapped into the college pipeline by hiring Chidera Uzo-Diribe as the outside linebackers coach. Uzo-Diribe was instrumental in building Georgia’s national championship-caliber defense, and his arrival brings a fresh energy and a proven track record of player development.
All told, it’s a smart, targeted restructuring of the defensive staff-one that acknowledges last season’s problems and actively works to correct them. For a team that’s long been known for offensive firepower, this kind of defensive attention is a step in the right direction.
But while the coaching moves are encouraging, the job is far from finished. The front office, led by Brian Schottenheimer and overseen by Jerry Jones, still has significant roster work to do. Dallas fans know all too well that coaching only gets you so far without the talent to match.
The good news? The Cowboys are sitting on two first-round picks in April’s draft-No. 12 and No. 20 overall.
That second pick comes courtesy of the Micah Parsons trade with Green Bay, and it gives Dallas a rare opportunity to double-dip in the top 20. Two picks, two chances to land immediate-impact players.
If they hit on both, it could be a turning point.
But the draft is only one piece of the puzzle. Free agency looms large, and this is where things get complicated. The Cowboys are projected to be $31.4 million over the 2026 salary cap-a tough spot to be in with key contributors like George Pickens, Javonte Williams, and kicker Brandon Aubrey all due for new deals.
Pickens and Williams were major parts of the offensive success last season. Losing either would be a blow, but retaining both won’t come cheap. And every dollar spent on offense potentially limits what Dallas can do to shore up the secondary or add depth on defense.
There are ways to create breathing room. Releasing veteran defensive tackle Kenny Clark, for example, would free up over $21 million in cap space.
But that’s a significant move, and it wouldn’t be enough on its own. The Cowboys will likely have to explore restructures for some of their higher-paid veterans to make the numbers work.
The front office has already earned credit for addressing its coaching deficiencies, but the next few months will define how successful this offseason really is. The pieces are there: a revamped staff, two premium draft picks, and a core of young offensive talent. But managing the cap, making the right calls on who to keep, and nailing those draft picks-that’s where this offseason will be won or lost.
Right now, you could call it a solid start. A B- grade feels fair.
But there’s a real opportunity to turn that into an A if the Cowboys can navigate the rest of this offseason with precision. The blueprint is there.
Now it’s about execution.