The Dallas Cowboys had one of the worst defenses in 2025, and we're not talking just about that season. Matt Eberflus coached one of the most dreadful defenses in NFL history, and that was simply unsustainable.
After trading for Quinnen Williams last season, Jerry Jones emphasized fixing that mess of a unit this offseason. As expected, that included heavy investments in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Then again, there's a difference between making a bunch of picks and nailing those picks, and the Cowboys surely aced their test. That's why FanSided's Cody Williams gave them an 'A' offseason grade, citing the addition of Caleb Downs as one of their primary wins:
"However, landing Caleb Downs and Malachi Lawrence, among others, in the draft, while trading for Rashan Gary and keeping George Pickens on offense should set Dallas up for a big upswing in the 2026 campaign," wrote Williams.
The Cowboys' defense should be much better with Caleb Downs
There was a point in the pre-draft process where it seemed that Caleb Downs was the best player in his class. He was in the conversation for the No. 1 pick, though positional value, and the Las Vegas Raiders' need for a quarterback, ultimately tilted the scales against him.
Not many safeties crack the top 10, and that only speaks volumes about Downs' game-wrecking potential. He can tackle like a linebacker and break up passes like a defensive back.
With a former defensive back coach and defensive pass coordinator like Christian Parker calling the shots, the sky is the limit for Downs. He has a legitimate chance to lead all defensive rookies in snaps played, and a Defensive Rookie of the Year campaign wouldn't be much of a surprise.
Downs can give the Cowboys their own version of Nick Emmanwori. He can play at both safety spots, drop back in coverage as a big nickel, or add another body against the run. He's a jack-of-all-trades on defense and gives the coaches so much freedom to scheme and call exotic and complex looks to keep the offense guessing.
Maximizing value is paramount in the NFL Draft, and that's what the Cowboys did. Of course, they addressed a major roster need, but also landed a potentially generational guy who would've immediately helped almost every single team in the league, regardless of where they took him. Sometimes, it's okay to think outside of the box, zag when everybody else is zigging, and roll with the most talented player, regardless of the position.
The Cowboys had already made some major moves to bolster the defense, and they didn't stop after taking Downs. But if everything goes according to the projections and he's even two-thirds of the players scout think he can be, the night of April 23 might go down as a pivotal moment in the Dallas Cowboys' franchise history.
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