Cowboys Team Needs for 2026 Offseason: Improving the Defense is Job No. 1

The Cowboys started the 2025 season by shocking the world and trading star EDGE Micah Parsons to the Packers. This predictably made an already-bad defense even worse, and unfortunately wasted one of Dak Prescott's best seasons of his career.

• 2025: 7-9-1 (-40 point differential, preseason win total: 7.5)
• Points per game: 27.7 (7th)
• EPA per pass: +0.18 (5th)
• EPA per rush: -0.01 (8th)
• Points per game against: 30.1 (32nd)
• EPA per pass against: +0.24 (30th)
• EPA per rush against: +0.03 (29th)

The good news: Midseason trades for stud DT Quinnen Williams and LB Logan Wilson helped a bit down the stretch, and the Cowboys have multiple first-round picks (No. 12 and 20) to add more reinforcements. The bad news: Only the Vikings and Chiefs have less effective cap space at the moment, and that's before the Cowboys presumably get something done with breakout 24-year-old WR George Pickens.

While I've tried to refrain from making all three of each team's top needs from the same side of the football, it felt warranted here.

What Do The Dallas Cowboys Need To Address In The 2026 Offseason?

Need 1: Secondary

The Trevon Diggs "era" is over, and unfortunately the Cowboys' other high-priced CB DaRon Bland hasn't come close to replicating the ridiculous heights of his 9-interception 2023 campaign.

• 2022: 5 interceptions, 74.9 PFF coverage grade (23rd)
• 2023: 9 INT, 89.9 (3rd)
• 2024: 0 INT, 71.4 (28th)
• 2025: 1 INT, 64.5 (50th)

Throw in starting S Donovan Wilson hitting free agency, and yeah, the pass defense that just allowed the seventh-highest single-season opponent passer rating in NFL history should consider finding some better players.

Need 2: EDGE

Jadeveon Clowney, Dante Fowler and Sam Williams are all hitting free agency. While Williams and Kenny Clark are holding it down in the middle and give the Cowboys the league's most-expensive group of interior defenders, Dallas boasts the second-cheapest group of EDGE defenders after declining to lock down Parsons.

While the Cowboys actually did generate the seventh-most pressure last season, they were still just 22nd in sacks. Things weren't much better against the run: This defense allowed the seventh most yards per carry as well. Continuing to fortify the line of scrimmage is the fastest way to help improve this group against the pass and run alike.

Need 3: Linebacker

DeMarvion Overshown looked like a game-wrecker in his de facto 2024 rookie seasons (5 sacks, 8 TFL), but struggled to make the same impact in 2025 (0 sacks, 1 TFL) upon returning from a brutal knee injury. Trading for former Bengals LB Logan Wilson turned out fine, but starter LB Kenneth Murray (UFA) graded out as PFF's third-worst overall linebacker among 100 qualified players.

Ultimately, only the Cardinals and Raiders missed more tackles than the Cowboys in 2025. That's obviously not entirely on the linebacker room, but clearly the group needs some help–at a minimum this front office should strongly consider using multiple Day 3 picks on the position.

Honorable mention

All parties involved seem to want Javonte Williams to have a star on his helmet in 2026 and beyond, which would eliminate the team's current need for a starting running back. Credit to Williams for racking up 1,338 total yards and 13 trips to the end zone while looking better than he has since originally tearing up his knee back in 2022. The Cowboys obviously liked what they saw, as they signed Williams to a three-year, $24M contract to remain Dallas' featured back … Like with Williams: Pickens is technically a free agent, but fully expected to still be a member of the Cowboys in 2026. The question is whether or not Pickens will land a long-term deal, or be forced to play under the franchise tag.

If I were GM …

I'd spend both first-round picks on the defense and do everything in my power to bring back Williams and (especially) Pickens. The team's multitude of needs on the defensive side of the ball makes everything other than defensive tackle in play. Getting either Ohio State S Caleb Downs or LB Sonny Styles at pick No. 12 should be viewed as a win, while EDGE defenders like Texas A&M's Cashius Howell, Auburn's Keldric Faulk or Texas Tech's Romello Height could be in play with the Packers' pick at No. 20. Hey, LSU CB Mansoor Delane and Clemson CB Avieon Terrell should be in the conversation as well. Just please, Jerry, give this elite offense a chance to be complemented by something resembling a league-average defense in 2026.