The Dallas Cowboys plugged their biggest need when they sent a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for wide receiver George Pickens. While a smart trade, the roster still needs tinkering at various positions.
A Stephon Gilmore reunion makes a lot of sense given the state of the cornerback room. As of this writing, Dallas has three corners - Trevon Diggs, Josh Butler and 2025 third-round pick Shavon Revel - recovering from torn ACLs.
In addition to CB, defensive tackle is another position on the defensive side of the ball that could use some reinforcements. Fans are excited about seventh-round nose tackle Jay Toia, but the rotation needs another proven vet to pair with Osa Odighizuwa, Mazi Smith and Solomon Thomas.
That is where a familiar name could come into play: Linval Joseph.
Cowboys could be desperate enough to reunite with Linval Joseph
At this point, the Cowboys need a veteran body who can play 20-25 snaps per game. They signed Joseph deep into training camp last summer to fill that exact role. He played an impressive 24% of the snaps at 36 years old and did so at an adequate level.
Many expected trade acquisition Jordan Phillips to have a bigger impact. However, Phillips got released just two months into the season. He took issue with being put on injured reserve with an apparent wrist injury and flamed the team shortly after his release.
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While Phillips was a net negative on the field and a poor locker room fit, Joseph was impactful on the gridiron and in the leadership department. He played limited snaps, but he posted a 77.5 pass-rush grade last season, per Pro Football Focus. That ranked 12th out of 219 qualified interior defenders.
The Cowboys currently have a passable DT rotation. Odighizuwa is one of the best pass-rushing interior defenders in football and Solomon Thomas is a capable backup at the three-tech position.
Nose tackle is where the questions come into play. Mazi Smith faces a potentially make-or-break season, but he showed some potential last year. Rookie Jay Toita brings immediate value as a run defender, while fellow seventh-rounder Tommy Akingbesote will fight to make the team.
Assuming the front office isn't going to go big-game hunting for a nose tackle, signing the 329-pound Joseph for the vet minimum would be a fine final addition to the rotation.