After a brutal 2025 on defense, Dallas may have a clear path to a quick turnaround if Pro Bowl pass rushers Trey Hendrickson and Khalil Mack hit free agency and Jerry Jones decides to reload instead of rebuild.
The Dallas Cowboys' defense has been a problem in 2025, but the picture for 2026 suddenly looks a lot more hopeful.
Two proven Pro Bowl pass rushers - Trey Hendrickson of the Cincinnati Bengals and Khalil Mack of the Los Angeles Chargers - could both be available in free agency, giving Jerry Jones a chance to engineer a fast-track fix on that side of the ball.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox recently identified Dallas as a logical suitor for both Hendrickson and Mack, and it makes perfect sense.
The Cowboys rank 29th in passing yards allowed and 28th in rushing yards allowed, numbers that don’t come close to matching the franchise’s expectations.
Trading away star linebacker Micah Parsons before the season created a massive void in the front seven, and the tragic death of defensive end Marshawn Kneeland has only compounded the challenge in the second half of 2025.
That’s the bad news. The good news is that help could be on the way.
Hendrickson, a four-time Pro Bowler, remains one of the league’s premier edge rushers. The Bengals reportedly fielded offers at the trade deadline but were unwilling to move him for anything less than significant value, with teams not willing to go higher than a fourth-round pick. That says more about league economics than it does about Hendrickson’s game.
"The reality is Hendrickson will turn 31 in December and has missed time with a hip ailment this season," Knox wrote. "That’s a combination of factors that makes the sort of contract he's likely to command risky.
"Of course, he is the reigning sacks leader and has logged 17.5 sacks in back-to-back seasons—while doing it in a bad Cincinnati defense," Knox added. "If things pick back up toward the end of the year, he should be the top edge-rusher on a lot of wish lists."
He has four sacks and 11 tackles this season after back-to-back years with a staggering 17.5 sacks. Even at 31 in December and having dealt with a hip issue, Hendrickson is still the reigning sacks leader and a nightmare for offensive tackles off the edge.
Knox projects his next contract at four years and $130 million, a big number, especially for an owner who balked at paying Parsons top-of-market money. But it's the kind of swing that could instantly reset the tone of the defense.
Mack, meanwhile, offers star power and veteran leadership.
At 35 in 2026, he's not the every-down force he once was, but he showed in a recent Chargers win over the Steelers that he can still tilt a game, posting a sack and three tackles against Aaron Rodgers.
Despite missing time with a dislocated elbow earlier this season, Mack has eight tackles, three sacks and four quarterback hits in five games and is only two years removed from a 17-sack campaign.
"He missed time with a dislocated elbow early this season," Knox noted regarding Mack. "However, he worked his way back onto the field and has logged eight tackles, three sacks, and four quarterback hits in five games.
"While Mack may not make his 10th Pro Bowl this season, he's going to interest contenders in the offseason. He reached 17 sacks just two seasons ago," Knox added.
Knox expects Mack to land shorter deals going forward, projecting a one-year, $16 million contract in 2026.
For Dallas, that kind of pact could be the perfect bridge move, a way to inject credibility, toughness, and pass-rush juice while younger defenders develop.
For a defense that lost its identity when Parsons was dealt and took another emotional blow with Kneeland’s passing, a Hendrickson-Mack combination would instantly restore fear in opposing offenses.
More importantly, it would signal that Jones is willing to aggressively correct course and chase a championship window that still exists with Dak Prescott under center.
The 2025 numbers are ugly. But with two elite resumes potentially on the market and a motivated owner, the Cowboys' defense doesn’t have to stay broken for long.