Cowboys 2026 Offseason Report Card: How Much Better Did Every Position Group Get After a Defensive Overhaul That Could Change Everything

The Dallas Cowboys had a lot of fixing to do this offseason. Their offense was great last year. But their defense? It was so bad that even Caleb Downs couldn’t believe the reality. He had to confirm whether the Cowboys really gave up 30.1 points, finishing dead last in points allowed per game. Dallas was also 30th in yards per game allowed.

Obviously, their main focus this offseason was adding to the defense. Their offense remained mostly the same, but they made some big trades, free-agent signings, and draft picks to improve the defense.

As I see it, the Cowboys are a playoff team in 2026. I think the upgrades they made on the defensive side of the ball, coupled with not losing many major pieces in free agency, have put them right back in the fight in the NFC.

To see just how much better Dallas got, I went through every one of their position groups and determined how much better or worse (or if they stayed the same) they became.

Quarterback: Same

I don’t think I have to spend too much time with this one. The Cowboys’ quarterback situation is the same as it was last year, with Dak Prescott leading the charge and Joe Milton and Sam Howell backing him up.

When Prescott is healthy, he’s capable of playing like a top-five quarterback in the NFL. Last year, he put up some big numbers: 4,552 passing yards and 30 touchdowns, and a 99.5 QB rating.

But Prescott has missed 5+ games every other season since 2020. He played five in 2020, 12 in 2022, and eight in 2024. Can he stay healthy for 2026? I hope so, because this offense has an incredibly high ceiling.

Running Back: Same

The running back position has stayed the same for the Cowboys as well. Javonte Williams stepped in and played very well in his first season with the Cowboys, and he also has two very solid backups in Malik Davis and Jaydon Blue.

Dallas’ consistent, strong rushing attack was part of what made their offense so good last year. So, keeping their room exactly as it was a year ago is not a problem.

Wide Receiver: Slightly Better

For the most part, the Cowboys’ receiver room also stayed the same. They retained CeeDee Lamb and George Pickensafter the pair both went for 1,000 yards last season. They also brought back Ryan Flournoy, who flashed at times last season, as well as KaVonte Turpin and Jonathan Mingo to fill out their depth.

The reason I have Dallas’s receiver room as slightly improved is because of Marquez Valdez-Scantling. I’m not living in 2022 when he was a 600-yard receiver, and I think the addition adds some much-needed depth. He didn’t do much in 2025, but many forget his Lin-sanity run with the New Orleans Saints in 2024, where he had 232 yards and four touchdowns in a three-game span. He’s not going to be a game-changer, but having someone like him as a WR4 or WR5 option will help their depth.

Tight End: Same

I know this is a pretty boring start to the article, but Dallas’s tight end room also stayed the same this offseason. Jake Ferguson had a career year in 2025, catching 82 passes for 600 yards and eight touchdowns. But the Cowboys also kept their depth intact with Luke Schoonmaker and Brevyn Spann-Ford.

Would’ve liked to see Dallas add a second weapon at tight end, but they had a ton of holes to fill on defense and didn’t have the resources to spend on tight ends.

Offensive Line: Slightly Better

The Dallas Cowboys have one of the best interior offensive lines in the NFL, but they are greatly hindered in their tackle play. Despite that, they didn’t really make any meaningful additions on the outside this offseason. But the reason I have them as slightly better is that I do like the prospect of Drew Shelton, their fourth-round draft choice.

Shelton is 6-foot-5, 313 pounds and can move pretty well for a guy his size, but on top of that, he played 721 snaps at Penn State last year and gave up just 17 pressures and one sack with a 66.4 run blocking grade. Is he someone that’s going to step in on day one and take a starting role? No, but he’s a solid depth piece that could overtake one of the tackles if he develops throughout the year.

Defensive Tackle: Slightly Better

The Cowboys had to make some massive changes to their defense this offseason, but one position they didn’t really need to touch was defensive tackle. With Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark leading the charge, they have one of the best DT duos in the NFC, but they still went out and added some depth with Otito Ogbonnia and LT Overton.

I don’t see Ogbonnia or Overton playing too much of a factor this year, but they got deeper at a position that was pretty thin behind their two stars.

Edge Rusher: Much Better

You’d be hard-pressed to find a position group around the entire league that got better than the Cowboys’ edge rusher group. Seriously, they went from having one of the worst pass rushes in the league to having one that should be above average, if everything comes together.

First, Dallas traded for Rashan Gary, who has recorded 7.5+ sacks in each of the last three seasons. Then, they went out and signed Sam Williams for some depth before drafting both Malachi Lawrence and Jaishawn Barham in April. Gary and Lawrence should be the starters, but James Houston, who had 5.5 sacks last year, will also be in the battle. And now, behind those three, they actually have some solid depth.

The Cowboys’ pass rush room got so much better this offseason. They did exactly what they needed to do up front.

Linebacker: Better

While Dallas did lose Logan Wilson, who they traded for in the middle of last season, they’re set to get DeMarvion Overshown back from injury, and they traded for Dee Winters, who had 100+ tackles last season for San Francisco.

If Overshown is actually 100 percent and can play as he did as a rookie, when he totaled 90 tackles, five sacks and an interception, and Winters can return to his 2025 form, they should form a very solid off-ball linebacker duo. There is a world where they both regress, but I think it’s more likely we see them both take a step forward.

Cornerback: Better

The Cowboys needed to revamp their cornerback room this offseason. And while it wasn’t a complete overhaul, I do like some of the additions they made.

Cobie Durant was an underrated signing. Last year with the Rams, he gave up a sub-60-percent completion rate with three interceptions and three pass breakups, so it seems like he’s one of the favorites to start on the outside. I don’t love DaRon Bland being their other starter, but you can only do so much in one offseason.

Another underrated addition Dallas made this offseason was drafting Devin Moore, a cornerback out of Florida. He was one of the best run-defending corners in the draft, but he’s also pretty strong in coverage. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s a major player in this defense by the end of the year.

Caleb Downs is a safety, but he’s going to spend a lot of time in the slot this season. So, we can mention him as a cornerback in this story. Dallas went from having some of the worst slot corners in football to having an elite one in Downs.

Dallas’ cornerback room isn’t perfect, but it’s certainly better than it was last year.

Safety: Much Better

Dallas also got much better at the safety position. They already had Malik Hooker, who had a pretty strong 2025 season, but they also went out and signed who I believe is one of the most underrated safeties in the league in Jalen Thompson before drafting Caleb Downs.

If Hooker and Thompson can hold it down on the backend and Downs can step up in the slot, their safety room might be the single most impactful position group on this entire roster. They went from one of the weak links of this team to one of the strongest points in just one offseason.

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