Not every Cowboys position battle carries the same weight, but a few of them could end up shaping far more than the depth chart. Some groups are just about sorting out backups. These are about whether Dallas can raise its floor - and maybe its ceiling - in 2026.
Running back is the lone offensive group on the list, and it’s here because of the uncertainty behind Javonte Williams. He was the engine last season, handling 52% of the Cowboys’ rushing attempts, 56% of their rushing yards and 61% of their rushing touchdowns. That kind of workload matters everywhere, not just in the run game.
The problem is the drop-off after him. Malik Davis was next in line in 2025, and while he’s shown he can be useful, the production gap is massive.
Davis ran for 250 yards on 52 carries and scored two touchdowns last season, leaving a 951-yard difference in rushing output and more than 200 attempts between him and Williams. Williams isn’t going to see 300 carries, so someone else has to step up.
Davis, Jaydon Blue or Phil Mafah needs to become more than a spell back and give the offense a different kind of threat. If Dallas finds an explosive RB2, it changes the shape of the offense in a hurry.
Inside linebacker is another spot that needs answers, especially after how badly Dallas’ defense struggled last year. Matt Eberflus paid for that performance with his job, and linebacker was one of the areas that kept getting picked apart. Missed gap fits and a lack of speed and athleticism were constant issues, and they were a big reason Cowboys fans were so down on the defense in 2025.
There’s a different feel now with Christian Parker moving to a base 3-4. That setup gives DeMarvion Overshown and Dee Winters a cleaner runway to handle the starting jobs, while also putting a premium on depth.
Dallas needs the second and third units to be trustworthy so Overshown and Winters can stay fresh without the defense falling off. Overshown’s injury history also means somebody has to be ready to jump in.
The backups listed behind them are Jaishawn Barham, Justin Barron, Shemar James, Curtis Robinson and Langston Patterson. Barham is expected to move around the line of scrimmage and the second level, and his upside is obvious, but he may still be a project.
The big question is whether Barham and James can do enough to lock down their spots. If they can, that second level could finally settle down after all the turbulence from a year ago.
Cornerback belongs in the same conversation. It was another rough spot in a defense that never found its footing, and this battle has multiple jobs up for grabs.
DaRon Bland and Cobie Durant are projected as the starters. Durant is trying to carve out a role in Dallas in his first year with the team, while Bland is looking to bounce back after another injury-marred season.
The numbers from last year were ugly. Dallas’ secondary allowed the second-worst defensive passer rating, with opposing quarterbacks averaging 109.6; only the Jets were worse at 110.
The Cowboys are trying to turn that around with a mix of veterans and younger players, including Shavon Revel Jr., Caelen Carson and Devin Moore. The corner group also gets a boost from the front seven and from Caleb Downs, who is expected to see plenty of work at nickelback.
On top of that, the corners will be tested every day by a strong Cowboys receiving corps in practice. Of all the position groups, this one might have the clearest path to the biggest year-to-year turnaround.
Then there’s edge rusher, where Dallas is trying to rebuild its defensive identity from the line of scrimmage out. The Cowboys are not just looking for a replacement for Jadeveon Clowney, who led the team with 8.5 sacks.
They need the edge to do more than collect stats - it has to set the tone for the entire defense. Last year, that group never did it consistently.
This time, Dallas has new pieces to work with. Rashan Gary and first-round pick Malachi Lawrence headline the additions, and they’re joined by James Houston, who was the team’s No. 2 sack leader last season, along with Donovan Ezeiruaku, a player many expect to make a big jump.
If the edge group can work in tandem with the interior, where Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams are anchoring things, the rest of the defense has a chance to come together quickly. That process starts in training camp, and these battles could be some of the most physical and intense on the roster.
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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.
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Cowboys Pass Rush Just Sent A Message Fans Needed To See
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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 🡒]