Jerry Jones hasn't wasted any time retooling the Dallas Cowboys' defense after a dreadful 2025 season. Trading for Packers defensive lineman Rashan Gary made the Cowboys' short-term plans crystal clear.
The Cowboys clearly aren't done in free agency and still have plenty of options to pursue, but the Rashan Gary trade shows they are already addressing their edge-rushing woes to preserve flexibility in the draft.
The secondary still needs work, particularly at cornerback after the Jalen Thompson signing, and it appears Jones may wait until the draft to add his next defensive back.
If you thought LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane was a popular Cowboys pick in mock drafts before Monday's frenzy, he might be mocked to Dallas in every projection until draft night.
It feels like the Dallas Cowboys will draft LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane
The Cowboys confirmed Malik Hooker's return on Monday by restructuring his contract. Barring any changes, Hooker and Thompson will be the starting safeties in 2026.
While Dallas could still take Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman, whose stock is skyrocketing after an electric combine showing, safety is no longer a glaring need after the Thompson move.
Cornerback is a much different story.
While the team is bullish on second-year corner Shavon Revel Jr., DaRon Bland could miss the entire offseason program while recovering from left foot surgery — his second such operation in as many years. If Bland fails to stay healthy or live up to his contract next season, Dallas may exercise the out in his deal in 2027.
With Caelan Carson entering a pivotal Year 3 after a difficult start to his career, the future of the room looks extremely bleak. Drafting Delane with the No. 12 pick would quell a lot of those concerns.
Ohio State's do-it-all safety Caleb Downs is viewed as a dream pick for the Cowboys at No. 12 overall, but can they afford to pass on a cornerback? Both Downs and Thompson can play both safety positions and the nickel, but who's playing on the outside?
In a perfect world, it's Revel and Bland, but can Dallas count on that? That'd be a huge roll of the dice, and it seems that they want out of that business, with reports claiming that Tennessee corner Jermod McCoy, coming off a torn ACL, is off their draft board.
Revel has the physical tools to excel, but he's still unproven, and Bland, while we've seen him play at an All-Pro level, has had two left foot surgeries in as many years.
Delane wouldn't be the sexy pick, but that doesn't mean he'd be the wrong pick. And he might be the pick after Day 1 of free agency.