The Dallas Cowboys currently have needs all over their defense. With questions at edge rusher, linebacker, cornerback, and safety, it is safe to assume that there will be a lot of “new blood” on the field for the Cowboys in 2026. One of the positions expected to get one of the biggest makeovers is the safety group.
As of today, the Cowboys have Malik Hooker, Alijah Clark, Zion Childress, Julius Woods, and Markquese Bell under contract heading into 2026. The Cowboys can save just under $7 million by
releasing Malik Hooker with a pre-June 1 designation. With a loaded safety group in the 2026 NFL Draft and a relatively heavy safety group in free agency, expect the safety room to look a lot different in 2026.
Unlike a lot of the positions in this draft class, the safety group is loaded with talent. Ohio State’s Caleb Downs headlines the group as a consensus top five player in the class, but due to the devaluation of the safety position across the league, where Downs will end up is somewhat of a mystery. Will he be available for the Cowboys with the 12th overall pick? It’s still to be seen, but his projected slotting is somewhere around 10 to 12. Behind Downs, Oregon’s Dillon Thieneman and Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren are considered to be borderline first-round picks, with Thieneman picking up a lot of buzz coming out of the scouting combine. If the Cowboys do miss out on Downs with their initial first-round pick, both Thieneman and McNeil-Warren could be options at the back-end of the first round.
But it doesn’t stop there. On day two and three, Penn State’s Zakee Wheatley, Arizona’s Genesis Smith, TCU’s Bud Clark, Texas’ Michael Taaffe, USC’s Bishop Fitzgerald, and Kansas State’s VJ Payne all make a lot of sense to play in Christian Parker’s defense. Anything can happen, but it’s safe to assume the Cowboys will be adding at least one safety via the 2026 NFL Draft, but there are also a few names in free agency to keep an eye on as well.
Similar to the draft, the free agency class in 2026 is not the strongest. But there are multiple quality safeties that will be in free agency, which is right around the corner. Seattle’s Coby Bryant headlines the class coming off a Super Bowl win, but Kansas City’s Bryan Cook, Los Angele’s Kam Curl, and Chicago’s Jaquan Brisker are high-level starters entering free agency. The one name that has been thrown around is Reed Blankenship, who has been a starting safety for Christian Parker over the last two seasons in Philadelphia. While Blankenship is not one of the “top” safeties available in free agency, he’s a veteran leader that knows Parker’s scheme, and is still likely an upgrade over what the Cowboys have had at safety over the last few years.
While it may be hard for the Cowboys to find sure-fire starters at edge, linebacker, or cornerback without busting the budget in free agency, or spending the 12th overall pick on one of those positions, Cowboys fans should feel good about them adding multiple starting caliber safeties this offseason with how loaded the free agent pool and this draft class is at that position.
