Safety may be the most mysterious of all the Cowboys’ offseason needs. They have two key players entering free agency, so work must be done. But given all of the other roster concerns, and how the front office has historically undervalued the position, how much attention and investment will Dallas actually put into adding new talent?
Under Contract
Malik Hooker – With nearly $7 million in potential cap savings if he’s released, and turning 30 in April, Hooker has the makings of a cap casualty. But he’s also the only
safety with ample experience, as more of Markquese Bell’s defensive snaps have been at linebacker than in the secondary. Hooker is a respected veteran with the skills to fit most schemes, so they won’t part with him lightly even for the relief. It’s probable that he returns, perhaps with a reworked deal to lower the cap hit.
Markquese Bell – While he doesn’t have enough of a résumé to inherit a starting job, Bell could at least compete for it. The Cowboys thought enough of Bell to give him a three-year deal last offseason, and his versatility between LB and S helps him stay valuable despite scheme changes. At the very least, he should stick around for depth and special teams, especially since there’s no cap benefit to cutting him.
Alijah Clark – As an undrafted rookie, Clark appeared in 11 games mostly as a special teamer. He had one of the best highlights of 2025 with his forced fumble against the Eagles in Dallas’ dramatic comeback win, fighting through blocks and knockdowns to still get to the ball. He should be competitive for a depth spot.
Julius Wood – Initially a Cowboys UDFA in 2024, Wood got claimed by the Titans at final cuts but then missed most of his rookie year with a PED suspension. Dallas added him back to the practice squad last October and signed him to a futures deal for this year. Now in his third NFL offseason, Wood will need a very strong summer to stick around.
Free Agents
Donovan Wilson – It’s been a surprisingly solid run for the former sixth-round pick, but it feels like Wilson’s time in Dallas is at an end. He just turned 31 and has never really developed the coverage instincts to make up for physical decline. If the Cowboys are going to hang on to Malik Hooker for the veteran presence, Wilson is likely to be replaced by a younger prospect.
Juanyeh Thomas (RFA) – Thomas is one candidate to potentially replace Wilson. Undrafted in 2022, he’s flashed play-making ability throughout his time in Dallas, but health issues limited him to just seven games last season. When Markquese Bell became a RFA last year, the Cowboys didn’t tender him but instead lowered the cap hit with a multi-year deal. They could easily do the same here.
What’s Needed?
As you already well know, Dallas has a lot of defensive needs. And unless Brian Schottenheimer and Christian Parker cause a philosophical shift, which we don’t even know that they would, it’s hard to imagine this front office prioritizing safety over the Cowboys’ other concerns at edge rusher, linebacker, and cornerback. So while Dallas could definitely use more talent at safety, it’s probably not where they’ll make their biggest moves.
One exception could be if Caleb Downs, who some consider the best player in the entire 2026 draft class, somehow falls into the Cowboys’ range. The last time Dallas drafted any defensive back in the first round was Byron Jones in 2015, and a huge part of his value was position flex between CB and S. While Downs offers some of the same, he’s more of a traditional safety with slot corner ability. Dallas hasn’t drafted a true safety in the first round since Roy Williams in 2002.
Landing Downs in April would be incredible, boosting multiple DB positions and giving Parker one of the bluest, chippiest prospects possible to work with. But if Dallas doesn’t get Downs, the next best safety prospects like Dillon Thieneman and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren would be big reaches on Thursday night. And unless the Cowboys add some Day 2 picks in trades, anyone they’d probably land in the fourth round or later couldn’t be counted on for immediate help.
As for veteran free agents, some have naturally linked Philadelphia’s Reed Blankenship to Dallas given Parker’s arrival. But 2025 was an awful season for him, grading out as one of the worst starting safeties in the league. That should limit his market, which the Cowboys may like for financial reasons, but will then make Parker the key vote as to whether or not he thinks it was an anomaly.
If they pass on Blankenship, the Cowboys aren’t likely to spend what top options like Seattle’s Coby Bryant or the Chiefs’ Bryan Cook will be looking for. They may be willing to come down to the next tier, but again, that depends on how much cap space they have after taking care of other roster needs.
While safety may not be a top offseason priority, it’s hard to imagine Dallas being content with some combination of Malik Hooker, Markquese Bell, and maybe Juanyeh Thomas as their starting duo next year. We’d expect at least one addition with legitimate starting potential to be added. Gambling on Blankenship’s bounce-back feels more like how this front office operates, but there are new voices in the mix. Perhaps more than any other defensive position, safety may tell us the most about how the coaches are influencing the Jones family by how it’s handled this offseason.
