Overview
- The Cowboys overhauled their secondary after allowing a league‑leading 4,276 passing yards in 2025 and hired Christian Parker to run the defense.
- Dallas added veteran defenders in free agency, most notably signing safety Jalen Thompson to a three‑year, $33 million deal to provide experience and communication in the backend.
- The team selected Ohio State safety Caleb Downs at No. 11 in the 2026 draft and signed him to a four‑year, $28.9 million fully guaranteed rookie contract.
- Analysts project Downs will play a high‑impact nickel/slot safety in Parker’s scheme and have compared his instincts and leadership to elite collegiate standouts, but his on‑field validation must come during training camp and the preseason.
- How Downs and the veteran additions perform in practice and preseason games will likely determine whether Dallas can quickly stabilize its secondary and keep its Super Bowl window open.