It's no secret that the Dallas Cowboys were one of the biggest winners of the 2026 NFL Draft. Jerry Jones parlayed the doubt surrounding Dallas' defense after the Micah Parsons trade into one of the most improved defenses in the NFL as they look to alter their vision under new DC Christian Parker.
Jerry Jones only had to trade up one spot to land a potential franchise cornerstone in Caleb Downs, and Jaishawn Barham and the recently acquired Dee Winters will make an immediate impact as well, which is helping to quickly change the perception of the Cowboys' defense within NFL circles.
However, they aren't the only ones. NFL insider and FanSided's own Jason La Canfora spoke to an NFL executive not just about Dallas' defensive improvements, but another team as well. This executive mentioned the Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals as teams that improved by addressing their defense in the draft.
“I really like what they both did in the draft,” one longtime NFL personnel evaluator told La Canfora. “They had to address their defense in big way, and they did. There was an intent to what they did. I think they both got a lot better.”
The Dallas Cowboys' improved defense has them back in the playoff hunt
There was never any doubt about the Cowboys' offense. With Dak Prescott, George Pickens, CeeDee Lamb, and a good offensive line, they were among the most high-octane units in the NFL last year. It was a historically bad defense that kept Brian Schottenheimer's squad from making the playoffs in Year 1.
But now that Matt Eberflus is out and Parker is in, the defense has improved considerably. Between Rashan Gary, Jalen Thompson, and Cobie Durant in free agency, they only got better in the draft. The Cowboys didn't have to move up that much for Downs, and Barham has an Arvell Reese-like skillset.
While the executive praised the Bengals for the Dexter Lawrence trade, Dallas made smaller, less flashy moves that worked out just as well. The reigning Jim Thorpe Award winner was a top-five talent in this draft class, and they got him at 11--and I expect his impact to elevate the defense as a whole. Even fourth-round cornerback Devin Moore can make a Day 1 impact if he can stay on the field.
"This wasn’t splash for the sake of splash. “They probably drafted their way into the playoffs,” the evaluator said of both teams. “They stuck to their plan.”
The same talent evaluator went as far as to say he thought both teams "probably drafted their way into their playoffs", which is telling. Both teams were in the same boat. Elite offense, but behind the 8-ball defensively, but now that they have a concrete vision in place on that side, people believe again.
The NFC East is a tough division, but with a more complete roster, the Cowboys' defense can help ignite their return to the playoffs.
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