The Dallas Cowboys needed some major defensive help this offseason, and rookie defensive back Caleb Downs figures to provide a lot of that help. He was one of a plethora of moves made in the secondary this offseason.
Personnel-wise, the Cowboys significantly improved on defense, and with the insertion of Christian Parker as the defensive coordinator, an immediate turnaround is not out of the realm of possibility here.
And if that does happen, the Cowboys could win the NFC East and legitimately emerge as a Super Bowl contender. Downs, while not yet having stepped on an NFL field for a game, has absolutely been as advertised thus far, but even these expectations are way too high and is a bit out of hand.
Cowboys DB Caleb Downs is already recognized as a top player at his position
CBS Sports ranked the top 10 players at every defensive position, and without having taken a snap in the NFL yet, Downs is ranked 9th among safeties:
"Downs was the lone defensive rookie to make a top 10 and one of just two rookies (Jeremiyah Love was the other) to do so at any position. He'll immediately help Dallas' leaky secondary."
It's definitely neat to see Downs get recognized this early, but I am not sure there is any sort of fair argument one could make to rank him this high, especially at a loaded position like safety. Sure, Downs could end up being one of the more talented defensive backs in the league in Year 1, but making this sort of leap does put a lot of pressure on a rookie who is already being asked to do a lot.
We could see Downs cementing himself as an elite defensive back as his career begins, but being ranked in the top-10 at any position is simply off base. With that said, Downs has already held his own in training camp, as, during Wednesday's practice, Downs lined up at EDGE, in the box, and as a deep safety during a three-play stretch, as noted by Joseph Hoyt of the Dallas Morning News.
It's safe to say that Downs is going to play a sizeable role on defense in 2026, and it could be a situation where Downs is lining up all over the place. He has the skill set for this type of usage, and the league's best defenses all have a player like this.
Yes, it's still early, but the returns have been outstanding. The downside here, though, is all of this hype getting out of hand, putting unnecessary pressure on a young player not only adjusting to the NFL, but also adjusting to adulthood - Downs is just 21 years old and has an entire life in front of him.
He'd also likely be the first person to tell you that he's done nothing in this league and has to go out there like everyone else and prove himself. Yes, he's likely going to be one heck of a player, but let's pump the brakes for a second and let him develop on his own timeline.
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