10 things we learned from the first week of Dallas Cowboys OTAs – Calvin Watkins, Dallas Morning News
Several intriguing things came to light this week.
The middle linebackers
At this stage of the offseason, it’s difficult to read what anything means when seeing players at certain positions or where they sit on the depth chart.
The Cowboys are looking for a middle linebacker. It’s not so much finding one in free agency or in the NFL draft, where the team couldn’t secure one, but what it looks like on the current roster.
During Thursday’s practice, Curtis Robinson and Shemar James were getting snaps at
middle linebacker. What was interesting for both is that Robinson is listed as an outside linebacker. James was paired with Dee Winters during team drills.
Winters, acquired in a trade, played off-the-ball linebacker with the 49ers and was supposed to get middle linebacker snaps. That still may be the case, but with the media watching, it was James getting the calls.
Changing the offseason schedule
When the Cowboys began their voluntary offseason program this spring, coach Brian Schottenheimer decided to shorten it by a week, from nine to eight weeks this year.
The offseason program takes place in three phases, and the first phase typically starts during the NFL draft process. Schottenheimer moved that back a week. In the past, rookies would join the veterans in the offseason program during phase two.
Schottenheimer didn’t want his coaches to be distracted with preparing for the draft and getting with veterans at the same time.
One of the biggest differences in the lost week is the review days. The Cowboys previously would have nine install practices then three review days during OTAs. The lost week eliminated the review days. So instead of a review day, the Cowboys conduct phase two of the offseason program for a day, which consists of individual drills and walkthrough sessions.
“Some of the young players are spinning a little bit, it’s moving fast for them,” Schottenheimer said. “We don’t set the installation to [the rookies]; we set it to the veterans.”
Qunnien Williams, Kenny Clark on Christian Parker’s ‘attention to detail’ defense – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com
Christian Parker has his players fired up to play in his scheme.
In 2026, the Cowboys’ defense will look completely different than the year before. Not just from a personnel standpoint, but schematically under new defensive coordinator Christian Parker.
In their short time working together, Clark has recognized that the little things are a big emphasis for what Parker wants to do.
“Just the attention to detail,” Clark said. “This defense is going to be huge on the details, huge on pre-snap and all that kind of stuff. All that stuff is going to be really good for us. We’ve got a lot of smart players on all three levels of the defense, and that’ll be great for us.”
When watching some of the best defenses around the league, Williams sees a lot of the same things that Parker is looking to do for the Cowboys implemented in those elite units. With that combined with new position coaches and new personnel, it creates an enticing combination.
“90% of this whole entire defensive staff is turned over. The guys we brought in from coaches all the way down to players in unbelievable,” Williams said. “The scheme itself, you gotta see around the league. A lot of people run the same scheme and have unbelievable success… all the top defenses in the league kind of run this scheme. Super excited the way that CP runs it, how meticulous he is, the details he hones in, and to be around a great group of guys.
Cowboys agree to $20M guaranteed deal with exciting edge rusher prospect – Todd Brock, Cowboys Wire
Dallas has all of their rookies signed.
The Cowboys‘ 2026 draft class is officially locked in and on the payroll.
Edge rusher Malachi Lawrence, who was selected 23rd overall and was the second of the club’s two first-round picks this spring, has officially signed his rookie contract, the Cowboys announced Friday.
The pact is reported to be a four-year agreement worth $20.22 million, all of it fully guaranteed. The team will hold an option on a fifth season- as with all first-round draft picks- and that option must be exercised prior to Lawrence’s fourth season.
The Central Florida product has made a positive impression thus far on Cowboys coaches, with head coach Brian Schottenheimer calling him out by name in a press conference on Thursday.
“Malachi Lawrence is picking it up really, really quickly, and we’re very excited about that.” Schottenheimer told reporters.
NFL Trade Candidates: 5 Top Remaining Players And Potential Landing Spots – Greg Auman, Fox Sports
Trade rumors are always a thing for Dallas.
Jordyn Brooks, LB, Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins have garage-sold or cut so many of their best players out of town this offseason, releasing quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, wide receiver Tyreek Hill and edge rusher Bradley Chubb and trading wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. So, linebacker Jordyn Brooks is essentially the meme of the Fresh Prince alone and looking wistfully around an empty room. He’s in the final year of his contract, making a reasonable $8 million. It’s possible Miami wants to keep him as one key piece, but it should be active enough in 2027 free agency that it won’t be able to get a compensatory pick for losing him. Brooks was a first-team All-Pro after leading the league with 183 total tackles last year, adding 3.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss, so he’s a smart target for a linebacker-needy team. If it doesn’t happen before the season, it feels inevitable he lands with a contender at the trade deadline.
POTENTIAL LANDING SPOT: Dallas Cowboys, who need all the defensive upgrades they can get after last season.
Daily discussion question: Who do you think will surprise us this season? Good or bad?
