FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys head into OTAs facing pressure to rebuild a defense that struggled throughout the 2025 season.
Dallas finished last in the NFL in scoring defense, allowing 30.1 points per game while surrendering 377 total yards per contest. The secondary was hit especially hard, giving up a league-worst 251.5 passing yards per game, while the run defense allowed 125.5 rushing yards per outing.
With Micah Parsons no longer on the roster, the Cowboys are entering a new defensive era under coordinator Christian Parker, who replaced Matt Eberflus during the offseason. Parker’s early focus appears centered on adding size, toughness and discipline to a unit that lacked consistency a year ago.
The Cowboys’ 2026 NFL Draft class reflects that approach. Dallas used two first-round picks on former Ohio State Buckeyes football safety Caleb Downs at No. 11 overall and former UCF Knights football edge rusher Malachi Lawrence at No. 23 overall.
Cowboys were thrilled to land Downs, viewed as one of the draft’s top defensive prospects because of his versatility and instincts in the secondary. Lawrence adds another young piece to a defensive front expected to become more aggressive under Parker’s scheme.
A projected 3-4 alignment featuring Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark and Otito Ogbonnia could also give Dallas more strength at the line of scrimmage while freeing linebackers to attack downhill.
That could benefit rookie linebacker Jaishawn Barham, along with returning defenders DeMarvion Overshown, Marist Liufau and Dee Winters as Dallas searches for a tougher identity entering 2026.
OTAs and minicamp will provide the first real glimpse into whether the Cowboys have made enough changes to recover from one of the franchise’s most disappointing defensive seasons in recent memory.
