It’s no secret that the Dallas Cowboys have big plans for Caleb Downs in Year 1. When you trade up for a safety in Round 1, that’s a pretty good indicator that he will have a prominent role in the defense right away.
But what is unique about Downs and the Cowboys going into the 2026 season is that Dallas has safety depth, including two quality starters in Jalen Thompson and Malik Hooker.
That doesn't necessarily mean that Downs will rotate with those safeties early on in his career. Instead, it has “forced” the Cowboys to find other ways to get all three safeties on the field at one time.
What has become very evident during training camp is that the Cowboys are building a defense around their new safety so that they can put him in positions to thrive right away.
Cowboys' Caleb Downs could play every single defensive snap as a rookie
In a recent article by Dan Graziano of ESPN, he made a bold prediction for all 32 teams going into the upcoming season. His prediction for the Cowboys really wasn’t that bold, but he stated that Caleb Downs will never leave the field for Dallas this season.
Here is a snippet of what the senior NFL writer had to say about the No. 11 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft:
“In their ideal world, he and veteran safety Jalen Thompson are interchangeable in the safety and nickel roles. Downs got a lot of work at nickel during camp, and Dallas has faith in his ability to play deep safety. The Cowboys believe in his ability to cover top receivers if that's what they need from him, and they think he will be instantly capable of communicating at a high level and helping keep things organized on the defense.”
The first thing that is notable about this quote is that he mentions Thompson and Downs, but not Hooker. And that makes sense, considering Hooker is the oldest defensive back on the roster, and the Cowboys would be wise to manage his snaps throughout the season.
But the other part of it is that Thompson and Downs are both just more versatile than Hooker. Hooker is at his best as a free safety and not-so-much in the box or in man-to-man coverage. That is totally fine, as Hooker has become a very reliable free safety in the NFL.
However, if the Cowboys want to be more creative and multiple on defense, that might come at the expense of Hooker rather than Thompson or Downs.
The Cowboys are handing the keys to Caleb Downs
The other note that is fascinating is that Graziano said Downs is expected to “handle a key role in the revitalization” of the defense. The Cowboys want Downs to be the centerpiece of the defense, and moving him around to create favorable matchups is the goal.
Dallas put him in some impossible situations in camp, such as guarding CeeDee Lamb one-on-one from the slot, and yet he fared well. That won’t be his full-time role in 2026, but it is one of the many hats that he might wear on gameday, depending on the matchup.
The best comparison for the role that Downs might have in Dallas is similar to what Kyle Hamilton does in Baltimore for the Ravens. Depending on the opponent, Hamilton might be the nickel defender for that game. But against other teams, he might be utilized as a free safety to take away deep shots.
The point is to move Downs around so that he can be used in the right ways depending on the opponent. That’s just smart coaching, but it also requires a unique talent to be able to excel in several different roles.
The Cowboys could not be more optimistic about Caleb Downs in Year 1, and it’s clear they are building a defense around him because of how much they trust him. Surely, there will be some bumps along the way. But this is Downs’ defense, and he will be the face of the unit for years to come.
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