Every week, we gather to discuss the latest news about the Dallas Cowboys and seek our writer’s perspective on each headline. Welcome back to the roundtable. This week we have Jess Haynie and David Howman.
How confident are you in the improvement of the Dallas defensive changes made both with the coaching staff and roster?
Mike: Cautiously optimistic here, but nowhere near problem solved. The coaching tweaks have at least clarified some parts of it but the real test is whether it holds when offenses start forcing checks with motion and tempo. The roster changes give the team a better chance, but the floor won’t rise
until tackling and early-down run fits become automatic. If those two don’t improve, then everything done so far has just been window dressing. If they do, this unit can finally stabilize into something functional and, at could be dangerous.
Jess: “It couldn’t get any worse,” is a somewhat cheap response, but it feels right in this case. Matt Eberflus lowered the bar to all-time levels, making Christian Parker’s job somewhat easier. Even if Dallas still had a bad defense in 2026, it could still be better than last year’s. With the fresh minds and new players they’ve added, plus the odds of better luck with injuries, the group should be closer to solvency.
Howman: I’m bullish on this defense, though it requires a lot of things to go right. Caleb Downs has legitimate Hall of Fame potential, but it’s possible the intricacies of the nickel role are too much to handle without growing pains as a rookie. There’s no guarantee the outside cornerback positions are solved, either. And the front seven, outside of Quinnen Williams, is largely unproven. Christian Parker is a genius and, by all accounts, he’s ready for this opportunity, but there also exists a possibility that the Cowboys have too much ground to make up in just one year. That said, I believe the worst case scenario for 2026 is still considerably better than last year.
Who do you predict to win the RB2 role by the regular season? Or will the front office add a player from the free agent market before the season starts?
Mike: I think the RB2 job ends up coming from a late free-agent addition, not the current depth chart. The backs behind Javonte Williams have fine in a pinch traits, but not enough bankable ones, so it’s hard to see the staff feeling comfortable entering Week 1 with that as the plan. Adding a free agent running back will help keep the weekly game plan intact if Williams misses time, and lets the young backs compete for RB3 and special teams roles instead of being forced into a job they’re not ready to own.
Jess: If nobody’s added, I’m going with Jaydon Blue as the change-of-pace guy behind Javonte Williams. We all love Malik Davis’ story, but the Cowboys have always chosen other players over him in August. Dallas will probably kick the tires on some guys like Nick Chubb, Najee Harris, or Antonio Gibson as more complete backup options, like they did with Miles Sanders last year. But even if one of them is in camp, it’s far from a guaranteed roster spot.
Howman: Jaydon Blue is the smart money answer, unless they add someone else. However, I wouldn’t discount the continued use of KaVontae Turpin out of the backfield, especially if Ryan Flournoy continues to develop as that third wide receiver. And if we’re picking dark horse candidates here, give me all the Israel Abanikanda stock I can get.
What’s your feelings on the Cowboys offensive line this year and are there any weaknesses that make you worried at this stage?
Mike: When the group is intact, the interior can still move people but the edges are the stress point. Terence Steele’s consistency is still a week-to-week roll and Tyler Guyton has the traits, but the floor isn’t steady yet. You see stretches where his technique is clean, then a couple snaps where he falters. That’s the worry here against real pass-rush fronts. Until they prove they have a dependable swing tackle and the starters are more stable snap-to-snap, offensive tackle remains the biggest possible bad matchup that can ruin the team’s game plan.
Jess: The interior should be better than ever with Smith, Beebe, and Booker. If the younger guys take the next steps in their play, it’s potentially the best G/C trio we’ve had since Martin, Frederick, and Leary. But you’re still worried about the tackles, where Guyton and Steele are far from reminding you of Tyron Smith and Doug Free. Whether it’s staying healthy or playing better, Guyton remains scary. And the depth is still very suspect, even with Drew Shelton in the mix.
Howman: I’m not ready to fully panic, but much of that is due to Dak Prescott understanding how to help his offensive line out. I have zero faith in the tackles when it comes to pass protection and I worry about regression for both Cooper Beebe and Tyler Booker following strong years. The depth is even more concerning, and I’d say they’re one injury away from chaos. If the Cowboys offense takes a meaningful step back from last year’s production, it will almost certainly be because of this unit.
