The Dallas Cowboys enter the 2026 offseason with a similar defensive emphasis as they did in 2025: honing in on the secondary.

With a cornerback group that had been banged up throughout the summer and offering questionable upside, Dallas made minor adjustments, but no wholesale changes that prevented a league-worst passing defense allowing 30 points per game.

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The Cowboys did extend former All-Pro DaRon Bland to a four-year contract and added third-round rookie Shavon Revel Jr., but trade-get Kaiir Elam was released midseason, former star Trevon Diggs' relationship with the team fizzled into a cut, and Revel just barely made it on the field to replace youngsters Trikweze Bridges, Caelen Carson and Reddy Steward, who still need some work.

In the deep secondary, veteran Donovan Wilson is also entering unrestricted free agency. He and running mate Malik Hooker both dealt with unavailability due to injuries in 2025.

A defensive back could be one of the Cowboys' targets with the two first-round picks they hold in the upcoming NFL Draft, but as it relates to experience, Dallas could rather seek out proven pedigrees as new defensive coordinator Christian Parker focuses first on constructing his scheme.

He vowed to build around his players, not the other way around, and while teaching young guys is a component of that, Dallas' awful performance a year ago suggests that a reliable piece in the secondary is more needed than anything.

Who might Jerry Jones pursue to "break the bank" in free agency as an opposite partner to DaRon Bland?

On 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, reporter Bobby Belt pitched four names that could be options. We add a few, as well, based on salary database Spotrac's free agent rankings.

The New Orleans Saints cornerback has ended his four-year rookie contract with four interceptions and 52 pass breakups after starting 53 of the 64 games he played in since 2022.

Belt explained that that production, however, has largely been over the last couple seasons, which has raised his market value for a contract through recency bias.

Taylor, 27, is projected to see a contract in the double-digit millions, which could be too rich for the Cowboys' ideas of the position as Bland now makes $22.5 million a season.

Byard is a safety from the Chicago Bears who earned All-Pro First Team status after leading the league in interceptions with seven.

However, at 33 years old, he'd would barely last longer than a rental, even if he can keep up that production.

A hometown kid from Arlington, cornerback Woolen is fresh off a Super Bowl title run with the Seattle Seahawks and one of multiple defensive backs who are free agents on the new champs.

Woolen was a Pro Bowler as a rookie in 2022, but hasn't again met the production of his first season and has been in and out of the lineup. This year he started in just seven games and had a career-low 46 tackles with one interception.

Because of this, his cap number might be lower than it'd ever be, which is intriguing for a 27-year-old with an excellent, lengthy 6-4 frame.

The former seventh-round pick broke out as a regular starter for the Kansas City Chiefs this year, posting career-highs in tackles, interceptions, sacks and pass breakups.

KC has solid cornerback depth, making Watson's loss bearable. He also brings the scheme versatility Parker will like as he focuses on being multiple.

Given that he's also young and rising into his own, he could command one of the larger contracts among the available cornerbacks.

Moving into our initial candidates, the Philadelphia Eagles' safety is an obvious fit with his former coach in Parker jumping to this side of the NFC East.

It's unsure whether Philly will re-sign him, so making a push through that mutual bond and familiarity could give the Cowboys an edge on the open market.

Blankenship totaled the second-most tackles of his career this past season, but he ended with just one interception and four passes defensed in a career-high 16 games. Will that be enough to urge the Eagles to move on?

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The seven-year pro has a pedigree as one of the most reliable cornerbacks, which could be intriguing to build a room around that has so much inexperience outside of Bland.

At 29, he could warrant a short-term contract if he's not re-signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Remember him?

The former Cowboy never got his footing in Dallas and was traded for Andrew Booth in a one-for-one deal with the Minnesota Vikings in 2024. Then in 2025 with a new Bears staff, he turns into one of the NFL's best turnover machines seemingly overnight with five picks and a Pro Bowl nod.

Could Dallas admit their mistake and make a push to bring Wright back to the team that drafted him?

He's likely expecting a contract much larger than what the Cowboys would hope (assuming he doesn't fall for any hometown discount propaganda Jones tries to sell), but it's a fun idea nonetheless.