After a very disappointing season on that side of the ball, a high-stakes defensive overhaul featuring Rashan Gary and Caleb Downs could transform Dallas into a powerhouse if the new pieces click.
The Dallas Cowboys know there is nowhere to go but up on defense after a disastrous 2025 campaign, and their 2026 year could go one of only a few ways.
In a recent article by Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport, he looks at every NFL defense's best and worst-case scenarios for 2026. For America's Team, he thinks the best-case outcome is straightforward: the new additions immediately click and elevate the Cowboys into an average—or better—defense.
"The Cowboys were the only team to allow 30 points a game last year and overhauled the unit in the offseason," Davenport writes. "It's a lot of new pieces, but if those players are close to as advertised and the Cowboys are even average defensively, Dallas is going to be a force in the NFC East."
The front office certainly didn't stand pat. Veteran pass rusher Rashan Gary was brought in to strengthen the edge rotation, while first-round rookie Malachi Lawrence gives the defense another young pass-rushing threat with plenty of upside.
Not to mention the fact that the team also brought in linebacker Dee Winters, who stepped up in a big way for the San Francisco 49ers in 2025 after their superstar Fred Warner suffered a season-ending injury.
The secondary also received a major facelift. Veteran safety Jalen Thompson joins rookie Caleb Downs, who enters the league with enormous expectations after a standout college career.
Of course, the outlook isn't without risk.
The Cowboys had one of the worst defensive units in the entire NFL this past season, so counting on a handful of new additions to turn the unit completely around does sound quite ambitious.
Those uncertainties make the Cowboys one of the league's biggest defensive wild cards in 2026. If the offseason overhaul delivers immediate results, Dallas could quickly return to playoff contention behind a much more balanced roster.
Dallas knows what they have in their stellar offense, but it is their defense that will determine how far they can realistically go into the playoffs.
The difference between best case and worst case may ultimately come down to how quickly its revamped defense comes together.
