Overview
- In his first NFL game, rookie Caleb Downs played the majority of defensive snaps and finished with eight tackles, one sack and one forced fumble in the Cowboys’ Week 1 loss to the New York Giants.
- Downs’ strip-sack of Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart was the game’s most dramatic play and reinforced preseason expectations that he can be an early playmaker.
- The Cowboys face a secondary depth problem after Malik Hooker was injured in the opener, leaving P.J. Locke as the next roster option and increasing the team’s reliance on Downs.
- Dallas traded up to select Downs at No. 11 in the 2026 draft and tested him across nickel, box and single-high looks in camp, signaling staff plans to use him as a multi-role defender.
- Off the field, Downs raised his profile with a podcast appearance featuring advice from Tyrann Mathieu and a Dot’s snack partnership, and he is headed into his first home game with an expected expanded role.