Dallas Cowboys fans can finally anticipate the 2026 offseason and look forward to the rebuild of a defense that has been exhaustively discussed for being terrible last season. Now that the Cowboys have hired defensive coordinator Christian Parker and finalized his defensive staff, it's time to look forward.
The Cowboys are slated to have nine defenders hit the open market once free agency starts, and in the eyes of many, they believe there are at least four starting defensive positions up for grabs. America's Team needs a safety, a cornerback, a linebacker, and an EDGE.
Dallas will look to restructure contracts to free up some cap space, as it will be critical for them to make some moves during March. There are too many defensive holes to fill, though, meaning the Cowboys will also have to use the 2026 NFL draft for help.
Currently, Dallas does not hold a single pick on Day 2 after making trades for star players, Quinnen Williams and George Pickens. Therefore, impact is needed early. Dallas does hold an extra first-round pick, which was picked up during the Micah Parsons trade.
Early Cowboys 2026 Mock Draft: Round 1
Round 1, Pick 12: Sonny Styles, LB — Ohio State
Sonny Styles would be an immediate plug-and-play middle linebacker for the Cowboys. He comes from an NFL bloodline; his father, Lorenzo Styles, played for six years, spending time with the Atlanta Falcons and winning a Super Bowl with the St. Louis Rams.
Styles was a converted safety, and it shows on film. He plays with a great awareness of the field and seems to anticipate where the ball is going. He can truly cover sideline-to-sideline and make tackles all over the field. He was also an impact player for the Ohio State Buckeyes' 2024 National Championship run and came back for a dominant senior season.
If you watched the 2025 Cowboys defense, there were problems all over the field. Focusing on the linebacker position, the Cowboys failed to find the right answer for the job. DeMarvion Overshown returned from injury around the November bye week and showed some promise for the outside linebacker spot.
Otherwise, the middle linebacker play from Kenneth Murray Jr. and Jack Sanborn was nonexistent. Sanborn, a free agent addition brought along with former DC Matt Eberflus, only played six games for Dallas before spending the rest of the season on injured reserve. Dallas traded a 2025 seventh-round selection to Tennessee for Kenneth Murray Jr., whose poor performance down the stretch likely closed the door on a potential return.
All without mentioning Logan Wilson, a mid-season trade that sent a 2026 seventh-round selection to Cincinnati. Wilson played a forgettable seven games with Dallas, and the plans for his future are up in the air.
Meanwhile, Styles just finished the 2025 season with career-high marks in solo tackles (71), run stops (47), and yards per catch (6.3), while tallying 15 pressures, per Pro Football Focus. That's the type of high-potential disruptor who'd make Parker's first season with the Cowboys much easier.
Round 1, Pick 20: Akheem Mesidor, EDGE — Miami (FL)
Akheem Mesidor's film will show a disruptive pass rusher with high sack production. He may be the best pure pass rusher in the 2026 NFL draft. He has a deep bag of moves to attack offensive tackles, and Mesidor always has an answer if his first move does not work.
Mesidor played at an elite level for the Hurricanes in 2025 as they tried to win a National Championship, getting two sacks on the day. In total, he amassed a personal-best 13 sacks last season, as well as 67 pressures after having 54 in the three previous seasons combined.
How in the world would Mesidor be available? Unfortunately for Mesidor, scouts are not only looking at the film. The truth is, with Mesidor, he will be a 25-year-old rookie. He will also have had two separate foot surgeries, with the most recent being an injury on his right foot. He missed time this season, including the Stanford game, because of his foot flaring up.
The Cowboys need a guy who's ready to play and be productive in 2026. Mesidor is healthy now and finished with a long stretch to end the 2025 season. At 25 years old, if Dallas believes Mesidor can make an immediate impact on the edge, then he is the guy.
The Cowboys are set to lose three edge rushers in free agency: Sam Williams, Dante Fowler, and Jadeveon Clowney. There is a good chance Clowney or Fowler could return as veteran contributors; however, the overall unit still needs some difference makers.
Drafting Mesidor would address that concern, potentially giving the Cowboys someone ready to start right away. That's the type of player that Dallas needs to rebound and put any lingering memories of last season's defensive shortcomings behind them.