Role Call: How Cobie Durant will impact the secondary – Nick Eatman, DallasCowboys.com
Cobie Durant could end up being the top offseason acquisition in Dallas.
How He Got Here:
A fourth-round pick of the Rams in 2022, Durant made an immediate impact for LA’s defense, even scoring on an 85-yard pick-6 touchdown as a rookie. Durant’s ability to play the slot helped him get on the field early in sub-packages as he started just 10 games total his first two years. But the last two, Durant started 29 combined games, proving to be impact player for the Rams, especially in the biggest moments.
In last year’s playoffs, Durant had three interceptions for the Rams, including two in the NFC Divisional Playoff win over the Bears in Chicago. However, in the offseason, the Rams decided to invest their resources into other free agents in the offseason, signing Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson. So that left Durant looking for other options, and he signed a one-year, $4 million deal with the Cowboys in March.
What’s Next:
There’s no secret the Cowboys struggled at just about all defensive positions last year, including the slot. The loss of Jourdan Lewis in free agency was well documented, with owner/GM Jerry Jones mentioning it on more than one occasion how much Lewis was missed. Now, whether or not Durant will be the slot corner remains to be seen, but his addition alone should help the Cowboys at least solve that problem.
Durant has experience to play inside, but his versatility to play in and out makes him a valuable commodity for this defense. More than anything, his ability to go get the football – something he’s down in both the regular season and postseason, is something the Cowboys certainly need to see on a regular basis.
Cowboys’ $24 million gamble is quietly about to turn into one of the best deals – Maanav Gupta, SportDFW
Could Javonte Williams have an even better season in 2026?
Cowboys’ Javonte Williams is ready to add Pro Bowl to his resume
Williams’ last season completely changed the course of his career. After his devastating knee injury in 2022 with the Denver Broncos, it took some time to get back to 100 percent and full speed. The Cowboys bet that he would find it again, and that’s exactly what happened. Williams’ speed and ability to break tackles and score in the red zone will be critical for this offense.
The sky is the limit for Williams this season. The 26-year-old has high expectations for himself and the team in 2026. Williams recently told The Dallas Morning News (subscription required) that he wants to go to the Pro Bowl. That’s definitely possible for him, and many considered Williams a Pro Bowl snub a year ago for his outstanding year.
“I’ve still got a lot more to prove. I at least want to go to the Pro Bowl and definitely want to get to a Super Bowl with the team. Just working hard, grinding, and trying to be a better version of myself. That’s all I’m worried about.”
He also wants to get to a Super Bowl with this team. That’s the sentence that many of this generation’s players have said over the years, and it still hasn’t come to fruition. Williams’ 2025 campaign only solidified his status as an RB1. If he has a similar season again, he’ll make his first Pro Bowl.
Cowboys FA signing wishes he was elsewhere, but ‘the plugger’ role fits – Reid D Hanson, Cowboys Wire
Otito Obonnia may have a bigger role than people think.
When the Dallas Cowboys announced the signing of Otito Ogbonnia this past March, it wasn’t met with much fanfare. Ogbonnia, 25, wasn’t exactly a household name in the NFL; the four-year veteran has just 82 career tackles and 0.5 sacks in his 1,004 snaps.
Serving primarily as a nose tackle, the 6-foot-4, 310-pound Ogbonnia plays as unglamorous a position there is in the NFL. Tangible statistics are scarce and highlights are almost nonexistent, but a true nose tackle may be exactly what this new defense needs to unlock its star players.
With Christian Parker at the helm, the Cowboys’ defense is moving to a 3-4 base. What degree of three-man fronts that entails is tough to say, but, given Parker’s affinity for playing multiple and using disguise, there’s a chance Dallas will be using a good number of odd fronts (both three and five man) in 2026. Under this premise, employing a sturdy nose tackle such as Ogbonnia is critical.
Playing the Plugger
Ogbonnia is far from a play maker and in many ways represents a liability on the field. His lateral quickness is questionable, sideline-to-sideline pursuit is absent, and his pass rush prowess is zero. But it’s the areas in which he thrives that will carve out a role and it’s a role that’s not so easily filled.
Playing in the middle as either a 0-technique nose or a 1-technique defensive tackle, Ogbonnia will be tasked with holding blocks and maintaining ground. It’s a role affectionally known as a “plugger” because it clogs things up in the middle and pushes runs outside. It means he’ll play primarily on expected running downs and used conditionally as a specialist.
Cowboys’ P.J. Locke Praises New Teammate Caleb Downs – Randy Gurzi, Cowboys On SI
Another veteran gives kudos to rookie Caleb Downs.
P.J. Locke believes in Caleb Downs
While speaking on The Blueprint Podcast, Locke said that Downs reminds him of himself due to that versatility. He then added that Downs is farther along than Locke was at this point in his career, while saying that’s due largely to Downs’ intelligence.
“He’s as advertised, man. The stuff that you don’t see is how he is in the film room,” Locke said. “He’s super smart, super willing. He asks questions, and I feel like… Early on, I’m not going to compare him to me because he’s way ahead of me when it comes to that. He went first round, all that stuff. But I feel like I see me in him because I feel like we have a similar play style. And also the way he asks questions. He always asks questions.”
Locke added that Downs is going to be a “hell of a player” in the NFL, and said that he’s glad the Cowboys got him. He’s not the first player to come out and express excitement about Downs either, with fellow rookie Devin Moore coming away impressed following rookie minicamp.
During OTAs, the praise continued to flow in with veteran linebacker DeMarvion Overshown saying that Downs was ready to ball.
Daily discussion question: Do you have any America’s Team-themed Cowboys gear?
