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The Dallas Cowboys entered the offseason with one clear goal, to fix the defense. They've made several significant changes, but ESPN statistician Seth Walder wasn't particularly impressed. The move he liked most was Dallas keeping George Pickens with the franchise tag. The move he liked least was trading Osa Odighizuwa to the San Francisco 49ers. He also took into account the Cowboys' decision to hire Christian Parker as defensive coordinator, the additions of safety Caleb Downs and edge rusher Malachi Lawrence through the draft, and veteran acquisitions such as safety Jalen Thompson and linebacker Dee Winters.
However Walder gave Dallas a C+ for its offseason overhaul but chose to view Dallas' offseason through the lens of last season's loss of Micah Parsons. While the grade isn't completely unfair, it fails to account for the bigger picture and should be a bit higher when you consider everything the Cowboys have done to reshape this defense.
Parsons' trade shocked just about everyone, but it happened last season, and the Cowboys have already adjusted their roster-building strategy. Continuing to weigh that move heavily in an evaluation of this offseason feels shortsighted.
Yes, the Cowboys' pass rush disappeared at times in 2025, but they still have players capable of generating pressure off the edge. Walder downplayed the Rashan Gary acquisition because of the decline in his play following the torn ACL he suffered in 2022. While his production may not be what it was before the injury, Gary still generated 60 quarterback pressures in 2025, significantly more than Dallas' leading pressure producer, Jadeveon Clowney, who recorded 40.
Gary gives this defense a proven edge rusher who can be paired with Donovan Ezeiruaku, who finished second on the team last season with 36 pressures. Beyond the top contributors, Dallas significantly improved its depth. Bringing back James Houston and Sam Williams, while drafting Lawrence, gives the Cowboys a more versatile edge rotation to complement Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark on the interior.
The Cowboys had even bigger issues at linebacker and in the secondary last season. To address them, they're banking on a combination of players already on the roster, experienced veterans, and promising young talent.
A healthy DeMarvion Overshown, a year removed from his major knee injury, could provide a significant boost t linebacker. Pairing him with Winters could give Dallas one of the fastest duos in football. The Cowboys also have Shemar James, who gained valuable experience as the season progressed, playing 544 defensive snaps in 2025 while finishing third among rookie linebackers with 91 tackles. Rookie Jaishawn Barham adds a more physical presence against the run and the versatility to contribute as a pass rusher.
In the secondary, the additions of Downs and Thompson should provide immediate upgrades on the back end. Dallas also added experienced cornerbacks Cobie Durant and Derion Kendrick, giving the defense two physical defensive backs with starting experience and the versatility to play both inside and outside.
The Cowboys are also counting on internal improvement. Shavon Revel Jr. enters his second season further removed from the ACL injury that limited him during his rookie year, while rookie Devin Moore brings intriguing upside despite the injury concerns that affected his draft stock. At safety, P.J. Locke's familiarity with the defensive system should help ease the transition while adding another physical presence against the run.
This wasn't an attempt to fix the Parsons trade fallout. The front office set out to revamp the defense from top to bottom. Whether every move works out remains to be seen, but judging the Cowboys' offseason solely through the lens of losing Parsons misses the broader picture. Dallas didn't just try to replace one star player; it reshaped every level of the defense. Between the upgrades in coaching, the improved depth, and the influx of talent across the roster, this unit is in a much better position than it was a year ago. Given all of those changes, a C+ feels far too low.
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: ESPN makes lazy mistake, grades Cowboys offseason among NFL's 10 worst
Continue reading...
However Walder gave Dallas a C+ for its offseason overhaul but chose to view Dallas' offseason through the lens of last season's loss of Micah Parsons. While the grade isn't completely unfair, it fails to account for the bigger picture and should be a bit higher when you consider everything the Cowboys have done to reshape this defense.
Parsons' trade shocked just about everyone, but it happened last season, and the Cowboys have already adjusted their roster-building strategy. Continuing to weigh that move heavily in an evaluation of this offseason feels shortsighted.
Yes, the Cowboys' pass rush disappeared at times in 2025, but they still have players capable of generating pressure off the edge. Walder downplayed the Rashan Gary acquisition because of the decline in his play following the torn ACL he suffered in 2022. While his production may not be what it was before the injury, Gary still generated 60 quarterback pressures in 2025, significantly more than Dallas' leading pressure producer, Jadeveon Clowney, who recorded 40.
Gary gives this defense a proven edge rusher who can be paired with Donovan Ezeiruaku, who finished second on the team last season with 36 pressures. Beyond the top contributors, Dallas significantly improved its depth. Bringing back James Houston and Sam Williams, while drafting Lawrence, gives the Cowboys a more versatile edge rotation to complement Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark on the interior.
The Cowboys had even bigger issues at linebacker and in the secondary last season. To address them, they're banking on a combination of players already on the roster, experienced veterans, and promising young talent.
A healthy DeMarvion Overshown, a year removed from his major knee injury, could provide a significant boost t linebacker. Pairing him with Winters could give Dallas one of the fastest duos in football. The Cowboys also have Shemar James, who gained valuable experience as the season progressed, playing 544 defensive snaps in 2025 while finishing third among rookie linebackers with 91 tackles. Rookie Jaishawn Barham adds a more physical presence against the run and the versatility to contribute as a pass rusher.
In the secondary, the additions of Downs and Thompson should provide immediate upgrades on the back end. Dallas also added experienced cornerbacks Cobie Durant and Derion Kendrick, giving the defense two physical defensive backs with starting experience and the versatility to play both inside and outside.
The Cowboys are also counting on internal improvement. Shavon Revel Jr. enters his second season further removed from the ACL injury that limited him during his rookie year, while rookie Devin Moore brings intriguing upside despite the injury concerns that affected his draft stock. At safety, P.J. Locke's familiarity with the defensive system should help ease the transition while adding another physical presence against the run.
This wasn't an attempt to fix the Parsons trade fallout. The front office set out to revamp the defense from top to bottom. Whether every move works out remains to be seen, but judging the Cowboys' offseason solely through the lens of losing Parsons misses the broader picture. Dallas didn't just try to replace one star player; it reshaped every level of the defense. Between the upgrades in coaching, the improved depth, and the influx of talent across the roster, this unit is in a much better position than it was a year ago. Given all of those changes, a C+ feels far too low.
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: ESPN makes lazy mistake, grades Cowboys offseason among NFL's 10 worst
Continue reading...
