Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said changes are coming for the team, which is coming off an ugly loss to the Denver Broncos. So, in the spirit of the coach’s words, this weekly column will change for one week only. Writing about the same takeaways and theme of horrible defense gets tough. Instead, in the words of Dez Bryant, let’s try to “fix this — Rich.”
The Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals have been parallel to one another, with two of the NFL’s worst defenses despite having talented
players on offense. After Sunday’s loss to the New York Jets, Ja’Marr Chase sounded fed up in the locker room with his defense.
For two years in a row, the Bengals’ offense has had to pick up the slack for their defense, and they have lost a lot of games because they were never at the same level. For Dallas, you wonder when the dam breaks and an offensive player has a candid conversation with the media like Chase did, throwing the defense under the bus. Schottenheimer wants to build “the best culture in sports.” To make sure what he’s built to this point doesn’t fall apart, both the coaches and front office have to make some moves on defense—and no, one of the moves will not be firing Matt Eberflus (sorry).
Here are five things the Cowboys can do to right the ship.
First point: Trade for or sign a defensive tackle; cut Mazi Smith
At some point, it’s okay to wave the white flag. I was one of the very few left who still held out hope for Mazi Smith to become the player the front office envisioned when they drafted him in the first round. Three defensive coordinators later, and no one has been able to unlock his potential.
With the Cowboys struggling to stop the run at an alarming rate, acquiring a player who’s three years into a rookie contract or a veteran who’s been around for multiple seasons should be an upgrade from what Smith has been able to show to this point.
Harrison Phillips (New York Jets), Bryan Bresee (New Orleans Saints), Calais Campbell (Arizona Cardinals), or T’Vondre Sweat (Tennessee Titans) would be players to consider. Bresee came out the year Smith was drafted, so he would have a year and a half on his rookie deal with a fifth-year option pending. His price tag to trade might be a little higher, considering he’s a younger player with a few years left before free agency. Sweat would also fall under the same guidelines, but it might be flipped for a fifth-round pick. Maybe Jalen Tolbert could be thrown in the mix if needed.
Either way, having a rotation of Osa Odighizuwa, Kenny Clark, Solomon Thomas, insert name from above, and a healthy Perrion Winfrey would sound much better.
Second point: Sign Stephon Gilmore to the practice squad or the active roster
Dallas’ secondary has taken an enormous health hit this year, losing four of its five starters for at least one game. The only healthy corner available each week has been Kaiir Elam, and he hasn’t been as consistent as he was in training camp.
Back in 2020, Mike McCarthy’s first season with Dallas, they signed Brandon Carr to their practice squad for a few weeks to provide some depth and have some veteran mentorship for young players like Trevon Diggs. Carr didn’t see the field much and was released in October.
Dallas could do the same by signing Stephon Gilmore to the active roster or practice squad. Cowboys insider Bobby Belt of 105.3 The Fan talked about bringing in Gilmore, despite his age, because Dallas playing a zone defense could be easier for him at 35 and not be in as many one-on-one matchups. Not to mention, Schottenheimer was a defensive assistant in 2023 when Gilmore was in Dallas.
Over the last decade, Gilmore has been praised for his football intelligence. He played in New England under Bill Belichick and, most recently, with Brian Flores with the Minnesota Vikings—both highly complex defensive schemes. DaRon Bland also had his best season as a pro when he was opposite of Gilmore, so maybe the continued tutelage and positive experience would bring some confidence back to the former All-Pro. At this point, anything would help in the secondary.
Third point: Donovan Ezeiruaku, Jadeveon Clowney, and Dante Fowler need more snaps
The Cowboys need to figure out who their best pass rusher is on defense. Is it James Houston who still leads the team in sacks with four? Is it the young rising star Donovan Ezeiruaku? Or is it a mix of Jadeveon Clowney and Dante Fowler, the old heads of the group?
There should be a mix of all four, but the changes start with limiting the snaps of Sam Williams and Marshawn Kneeland. After all the offseason hope of Williams getting back to his trajectory before his knee injury, he has not been able to live up to the hype. He sits fifth on the team in total pressures (15) and has just one sack through eight games.
The same goes for his counterpart in Kneeland. The 2024 second-round pick showed promise and development as a rookie, but he has yet to flash much this season. Becoming a back-seat rotational player could benefit his development to take a back seat and start fresh in 2026.
Either way, Ezeiruaku needs to be a starter at edge. Since Week 6, the rookie has had an 89.2 pass rush grade from Pro Football Focus. That ranks eighth among all NFL pass rushers during that stretch. Micah Parsons sits at sixth with 89.8. Ezeiruaku has just one sack on the year, but things look to be clicking, and having more reps should at least keep the pass rush more consistent, despite Eberflus wanting to have a rotation of multiple players.
Fourth point: If the new rotation doesn’t work, trade for a pass rusher
The front office has another game to evaluate its roster before the trade deadline. After the Cowboys play the Arizona Cardinals on Monday Night Football, the trade deadline is 4 PM ET the next day (Tuesday). If the Cowboys lose, trading for a player instead of future draft capital might be less appealing. However, if Dallas heads into their bye at 4-4-1, they sit right in the mix with half the season remaining.
All the rumors circulating around the Cowboys before the deadline have suggested that defense was the side of the ball the front office would be looking to improve. If Dallas wanted to take a look at adding another pass rusher, Jerry and Stephen Jones might be stuck in the middle of an arms race. Diana Russini of The Athletic points out that multiple teams are looking for players to rush the passer, specifically in Dallas’ division with the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders.
Dallas could offload Dante Fowler back to the Washington Commanders for a fifth or sixth-round pick, freeing space for another edge player to join the mix. Kneeland has been on and off the injury report, so putting him on injured reserve would be another way to open up a roster spot.
If Jerry wanted to go “all-in,” the most intriguing names would be Trey Hendrickson and Jermaine Johnson. Either player would complement what Ezeiruaku has shown, with Johnson having a few more years of team control. Hendrickson could walk in 2026, so the team would have visions of working out a long-term deal if they had to give up a first-round pick for a player like him.
Dallas made it to the postseason with Benson Mayowa as their most productive pass rusher in 2016, but that’s not going to cut it this year, trailing in the conference. Again, this continues to make the Micah Parsons trade even more confusing.
Fifth point: Hit shuffle on the linebacker group
DeMarvion Overshown’s return after the bye week to face the Las Vegas Raiders will be a welcome sight for all Cowboys fans. However, expecting him to hit the ground running and return to the player he showed he could be last year would be a lot to ask. The Cowboys’ linebackers have been the most disappointing position group, considering the veterans leading the group and the young talent behind them.
Dallas needs to hit the shuffle button on the entire group. A few weeks ago, Jack Sanborn was having a productive game against the New York Jets before leaving with a concussion. Since then, he’s been a rotational player and is sidelined with a groin injury. Injured reserve could be a consideration for him if things don’t progress. For now, he can stay.
Kenneth Murray is a problem. There was hope a linebacking guru like Eberflus could unlock something in Murray we’ve yet to see in his career, but it just hasn’t been consistent enough. The Cowboys need a leader in the middle of their defense who has played the position at a high level. Demario Davis (New Orleans Saints), Logan Wilson (Cincinnati Bengals) and Quincy Williams (New York Jets) would be three names that fit that mold.
Williams has been a playmaker on defense for the Jets and has shown the capability to blitz the quarterback effectively and with tenacity. Despite his age, Davis has continued to be a productive player in the middle of New Orleans’ defense, leading the team with 71 tackles. His partner at linebacker, Pete Werner, would also be an interesting trade candidate.
Logan Wilson was one of the first Bengals to request a trade this season after the captain was replaced in the starting lineup in favor of younger players. Adam Schefter reported on Saturday night that the Cowboys were among the teams who have expressed “some interest” in Wilson.
Getting a capable veteran back in the mix at linebacker will benefit not only the here and now but also the future. Marist Liufau played well as a rookie, with Eric Kendricks taking him under his wing. Getting Williams or Davis would bring a mentor into the position group Dallas has lacked since Kendricks’ exit. Things look a lot better with Davis/Williams, Liufau, and Overshown as the starting linebackers. Having James, Sanbron, and Damone Clark as depth would allow Overshown to rotate in and out until he’s 100 percent healthy.
