The Cowboys have several defensive needs to address this offseason, and there are several enticing options.
For most, the Dallas Cowboys' offseason focus has to be on fixing that train wreck of a defense under Matt Eberflus.
With Christian Parker now taking over, the Cowboys have, according to those in the know, one of the brightest defensive minds in football.
He now takes his talents to The Star after stops in Denver and Philadelphia, where he helped develop Patrick Surtain III, Cooper DeJean, and Quinyon Mitchell.
With the Cowboys set to have two first-round picks, both of which are expected to be used on defense, given the amount of roster holes, but before that is free agency.
The Cowboys, if they choose, can free up over $100 million in cap space through several restructures, extensions, and cuts.
That can get a handful of quality starting-caliber players.
But it can also get Jerry Jones the Ferrari we've often spoken about.
And for PFSN's Ryan Guthrie, he has the Cowboys going after Cincinnati Bengals disgruntled pass rusher, Trey Hendrickson.
“Dallas already added Quinnen Williams, but balance is still needed. Instead of paying top dollar for a receiver, they invest in pass rush,” Guthrie wrote.
“Hendrickson made four straight Pro Bowls in Cincinnati and recorded 17+ sacks in back-to-back seasons earlier in his career. Even in a down year statistically (4 sacks), he posted an elite 86.4 score, ranking 12th on the PFSN NFL EDGE Impact metrics. The Cowboys need that consistency.”
It is clear that Trey's time with the Bengals is done.
And his next move will be interesting.
He only played seven games in 2025 before injury ended his year, but in the two seasons prior, Trey played all 17 games and notched a combined 35 sacks.
The 31-year-old is expected to get significant interest, and he could be an option for Dallas.
But are the Cowboys in the business of paying, what is expected to be a multi-year deal, at around $30 million APY? That's a question Dallas has to ask itself.
Would Parker like having a defensive line consisting of Quinnen Williams, Osa Odighizuwa, Kenny Clark, and Hendrickson, with some Jadeveon Clowney, James Houston, and Donovan Ezeiruaku sprinkled in?
It is an interesting thought.
But I find it hard to believe that the Cowboys, who are expected to franchise tag George Pickens for roughly $28 million in 2026, while having Quinnen, Clark, and Osa on the books for around $20 million APY each, would then add another $30 million on Hendrickson.
Even if it is the type of move that would dramatically shift the narrative around the Cowboys and their horrific defense.