Whereas they could not have stolen headlines with flashy strikes, the Dallas Cowboys made clear upgrades on either side of the ball this offseason. Dallas noticed the dearth of depth that killed them within the 2024 marketing campaign and made it a precedence to make sure that doesn’t occur once more this upcoming season.
The Cowboys didn’t utterly ignore their offense, however they made considerably extra strikes to improve their depth on the defensive aspect of the ball. In free company, Dallas signed linebacker Jack Sanborn, who figures to be within the rotation on protection, to go together with signing defensive linemen Dante Fowler Jr., Payton Turner, and Solomon Thomas. In addition they retained their high inside free agent on the defensive aspect of the ball, inking proficient defensive sort out Osa Odighizuwa to a multi-year contract.
Dallas additionally made a few trades to accumulate potential contributors on its protection. The Cowboys traded for Kaiir Elam and Kenneth Murray, two former first-round picks the crew had loads of reported curiosity in throughout their respective draft cycles. Whereas there’s a actual risk that neither of those gamers will make a lot of an impression, Dallas took a shot with out giving up a lot capital in return, which is a worthwhile threat.
Including to the protection didn’t cease there. Whereas a lot of the main focus pre-draft was on how the Cowboys might add some expertise to their offense, Dallas lucked into choosing two first-round-caliber defensive gamers within the second and third rounds. The Cowboys chosen edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku out of Boston Faculty and Shavon Revel Jr. out of East Carolina within the second and third rounds, respectively.
Ezeiruaku, a uncommon expertise who recorded the second-most sacks (16.5) in all of school soccer final season, has an opportunity to make a big-time impression in his rookie 12 months, speeding the passer alongside All-Professional Micah Parsons. If wholesome, Shavon Revel, who many noticed as a first-round expertise earlier than his ACL tear, can do the identical. The rookie will get an opportunity to play as soon as he will get completely wholesome.
There’s no denying that this 12 months’s Cowboys’ protection has a lot better depth than final season. Dropping Jourdan Lewis and DeMarcus Lawrence will definitely harm, however they can make up for it with much-improved depth at almost each defensive place group.
If key defensive gamers can keep wholesome, the unit has a shot to be one of many extra productive defenses within the NFL. Bleacher Report echoed this sentiment in an article this week, rating Dallas’ protection because the Tenth-best defensive unit in soccer.
Right here’s what they needed to say concerning the Cowboys’ protection.
This one will increase just a few eyebrows. In spite of everything, the Cowboys have been a bottom-five protection by way of yards allowed, run protection and scoring protection final 12 months.
However that protection was additionally decimated by accidents. The 12 months earlier than, Dallas was one in every of 5 NFL groups that allowed lower than 300 yards per sport. The Cowboys have been additionally fifth in scoring protection, giving up 18.5 factors per sport. They have been additionally extremely efficient at speeding the passer in 2024, logging 52 sacks.
The Cowboys’ finest defensive participant is edge-rusher Micah Parsons, who had a minimum of 12 sacks for the fourth time in as a few years in 2025. In addition they retained defensive sort out Osa Odighizuwa and added playmates for Parsons in second-round choose Donovan Ezeiruaku and veteran Dante Fowler Jr.
There’s turnover at linebacker, which may very well be a problem shifting ahead. After one 12 months with the crew, Eric Kendricks has given strategy to free-agent signing Kenneth Murray Jr. With DeMarvion Overshown more likely to miss an enormous chunk of the season, journeyman Jack Sanborn might see a bigger position, particularly early on.
It’s a nook the place the Cowboys might see their largest increase. Each DaRon Bland and Trevon Diggs missed appreciable time final season (16 video games complete), and if that duo is wholesome and newcomer Kaair Elam may be even common within the slot, the Dallas secondary may very well be as stingy because it has in fairly a while.
The explanations for optimism are legitimate, and simply how good Dallas’ protection finally is will doubtless come right down to well being. If key gamers, together with Trevon Diggs and Shavon Revel, are in a position to play in majority of the video games this upcoming season, there are many causes to consider Dallas’ protection may be one of many more practical models within the league. Even when they do miss a while, the depth the Cowboys acquired this spring will assist them soften the blow.
It is going to be attention-grabbing to see simply how good Dallas’ protection is as soon as actual video games start in September.
