Cowboys HC admits roster issues, ‘Got to fill some holes’ at LB – Todd Brock, The Cowboys Wire
The Cowboys have a lot of confidence in Demarvion Overshown and Shemar James at linebacker for now, but the first round of the draft could very well change that.
Rashan Gary, Jalen Thompson, Cobie Durant, and Jonathan Bullard are among the new names in Dallas for 2026, but head coach Brian Schottenheimer made it clear that there are still some prime job openings on the defensive side of the ball, including at linebacker, where the team is perilously thin.
“There’s some spots we would like to fill and
maybe a starter or two on defense that we’re still looking for.”
Schottenheimer made the comments Monday in a Q&A with reporters at the league’s annual meeting in Phoenix. Even though most fans have turned their full attention to the upcoming draft, the second-year coach revealed that the Cowboys won’t necessarily be twiddling their thumbs as they sit on two top-20 selections.
“We’ve got firepower going into the draft, and we’re not done,” he said. “We’re always open for business.”
The club tried to do a fair bit of business in free agency and were said to have been in discussions at one point or another to land veteran star linebackers Nakobe Dean, Quay Walker, and Devin Lloyd.
“We made a run at some guys in free agency,” Schottenheimer acknowledged. “Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. And what do you do? You just adjust. It’s something we’re working on 365, 24/7. We’ve got a good plan. … So part of it’s going to be [DeMarvion Overshown] having a tremendous year. Shemar James is a guy we’re excited about. But we recognize that we’ve got to fill some holes there.”
Stephen Jones on Cowboys’ roster additions, remaining needs, draft & more – Staff, DallasCowboys.com
The Cowboys are again selling their turnaround on defense being about coaching, a little bit more than the personnel changes they have or haven’t made.
Jones’ confidence in the Cowboys improving in the win column next season
Finishing the year at 7-9-1 is not a spot that Jones or the Cowboys want to be in any year. But it was the spot they closed out the 2025 season in and are looking to improve on in 2026.
What gives Jones the confidence that Dallas is going to improve their record in year two of the Brian Schottenheimer era?
“Just our work in the offseason,” Jones said. “I think we had a great, I think, search in terms of revamping our defensive staff. So I feel very optimistic about that and what we can get done there. Certainly feel about our start with our personnel, what we’ve done in free agency, and certainly sitting here with two number ones, you feel good about improving our team. So we’re very optimistic about what we can do.”
What’s next in the Cowboys’ pre-draft process
In the last couple weeks, the Cowboys’ scouting and coaching staffs have traveled around the country to pro days at different universities in order to get an eye on prospects for the upcoming NFL Draft.
With the combine and all-star games already in the books as well, the current focus is wrapping up the local and 30 visits with prospects at the Star in Frisco, and then getting the entire organization together to get on the same page for when Dallas is on the clock.
“We’re going to get in there and roll up our sleeves, and we’re going to have great discussion about what we’re going to do with those two picks…” Jones said. “When we get Jerry, myself, the coaching staff, the scouts all in one room, that’s when we’ll really put together a strategy that we feel good about and that can optimize all the skillsets we have in our building.”
Brian Schottenheimer unsure of George Pickens’ status – RJ Ochoa, Blogging The Boys
The drama around George Pickens’ contract status could go on for a long, long time still.
Schotty was asked about Pickens and whether or not the talented wide receiver, who the Cowboys placed the franchise tag on earlier this offseason, will be a part of the team’s voluntary offseason program.
He said he has no assurances.
It is up to George Pickens as to whether or not he wants to participate in the team’s voluntary activities, history has shown that players under the franchise tag have done it both ways.
The Cowboys applied the non-exclusive tag to Pickens so he is technically free to negotiate with any team he likes. If a team makes an offer the Cowboys have the right of first refusal, and if they decline to match it the offering team would owe Dallas two first-round picks.
Brian Schottenheimer made a huge reveal about the defense that could impact Cowboys’ draft plans – Mauricio Rodriguez, A to Z Sports
The Cowboys might very quietly have better options at cornerback than most think they do, if DaRon Bland can be a shutout option on the outside.
Speaking at the NFL Owner Meetings in Phoenix, Arizona, Schottenheimer discussed the Cowboys’ need at nickel.
That by itself was revealing. The Cowboys recently signed Cobie Durant in free agency, who has experience playing both inside and outside—something Schottenheimer noted. But if they still consider nickel a need, it means it probably isn’t the role they signed Durant for.
But more importantly, Schottenheimer made it very clear the Cowboys prefer to keep All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland outside.
“At the end of the day, we’d love to have a guy that would allow us to keep DaRon outside,” Schottenheimer told reporters via Star-Telegram’s Nick Harris. “We feel like DaRon’ has got the ability to shut down a side of the field. We’d rather keep him outside than move him inside.”
Last year, the Cowboys signed Bland to a four-year contract extension worth $92 million. While it’s not a surprise the team views him as an outside cornerback, the team’s optimism on him combined with Schottenheimer’s comments about needing a nickel carries significant implications.
Why Schottenheimer’s message matters a lot
Let’s take Schotty’s word at face value for a second and assume the Cowboys think their starting nickel isn’t on the roster as of yet.
That would mean two things: Bland is starting outside and in all likelihood, that Durant and Shavon Revel Jr. will compete for the other starting role.
The following question would naturally become, if the Cowboys pick a cornerback in the first round in late April, would they target the best one available even if they’re projected as outside corners? That would include LSU’s Mansoor Delane or Tennessee’s Jermod McCoy. Or would they aim for a prospect they view as a potential nickel at the NFL level?
2026 NFL Draft: Projecting win-win trades teams SHOULD make in Round 1 – Eric Edholm, NFL.com
The Cowboys trading down from the 20th overall pick and still coming on the clock a second time in round one is certainly interesting.
Chiefs receive:
- 2026 1st-round pick (No. 20 overall)
- 2026 5th-round pick (No. 152 overall)
- 2026 7th-round pick (No. 218 overall)
Cowboys receive:
- 2026 1st-round pick (No. 29 overall)
- 2026 3rd-round pick (No. 74 overall)
- 2026 5th-round pick (No. 148 overall)
- 2026 5th-round pick (No. 176 overall)
And now for something different: two teams with two first-round picks swinging a deal with one another. They might just be able to help each other out.
The Chiefs are in win-again mode. If they can come out of this draft with a pass rusher, at least one cornerback, a receiver and possibly a tackle — in whatever order — then I think they’d consider it a success. They’ll cross one of those needs off with their first first-rounder.
That leaves big holes to address at Nos. 29 and 40, and I don’t know that GM Brett Veach can wait that long. He’s aggressive by nature, and several teams the Chiefs are competing against (the Chargers, Bills and Texans) are picking just ahead of them, along with other teams targeting the same positions Kansas City is. We could see runs at any of the Chiefs’ biggest positions of need in the middle of Round 1. And with four top-100 picks to deal, they can be bold in making sure they don’t miss out.
The Cowboys have eight selections, including those two first-rounders, but none between Nos. 20 and 92 overall, which is the supposed heart of this draft class, especially at their positions of need.
Dallas has taken on more of an apparent trade-down mentality in recent years, and because the Cowboys’ biggest aim should arguably be scooping up as much defensive talent as possible, moving back would have real merit. After all the picks are swapped, Dallas would have five in the top 112 overall. Use four or more of those on defense and kickstart the rebuild.
Daily Discussion Question: Do you think the Cowboys will trade for a linebacker before the draft?
Hit the comments and let us know.
