There is no denying that the Dallas Cowboys improved their defense this offseason. With how bad the 2025 unit was, the bar wasn’t very high, but Dallas’ defense looks much better on paper at this point than it did in May of 2025.
That isn’t to say the Cowboys’ defense is a finished product; far from it if we are being honest. There are still multiple positions where Dallas could use additional depth, and adding another pass rusher, cornerback, or inside linebacker seems most likely.
There aren’t tons
of free agents still available that could make a sizable immediate impact, but there is one guy who has a history in Dallas that could be a potential fit. That player is Jadeveon Clowney, arguably Dallas’ most productive defender in 2025.
On Tuesday, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported that Clowney has been in discussions with several teams, hoping to find a landing spot in the near future.
While there has been no reason to believe the Cowboys were one of those teams, Dallas would be wise to jump in the mix and see if they could work out a reunion with the veteran pass rusher. Much has been made about Clowney not being a scheme fit in Christian Parker’s new-look defense. While he does not have the ideal size Parker may be looking for in a true defensive end, the veteran would be more than capable of playing some sort of role and would undoubtedly improve the floor of Dallas’ pass rush group, a unit that is lacking depth.
Parker is an extremely smart guy, and one of the big reasons he got the defensive coordinator job is his ability to be creative and use players to their strengths. If the Cowboys were to pursue a reunion with the veteran, you have to believe Parker would be able to find a creative role for him that would allow him to make an impact.
Clowney was far and away Dallas’ most productive pass rusher last season, recording 40 total pressures and nine sacks, both the most of any Cowboys defender. With the experience he has over the course of his 12-year NFL career playing various roles in different defenses, if he is interested in returning to Dallas, the Cowboys should do whatever they can to make it work.
As we saw last season, you can never have enough depth on an NFL roster. The Dallas Cowboys need more quality players on defense, and there is no denying that Jadeveon Clowney is still capable of being a productive player in this league. He may not be a perfect fit, but he would, without a doubt, improve this defense. For that reason, Dallas should be all over exploring a potential reunion.
