Cowboys news: Caleb Downs is turning heads in Dallas

The early impressions have been particularly cool for Parker, as Downs arrived to his 30-visit before the draft with a deep understanding of what the concepts of the defense would be because of the film study he did on the Eagles’ defense from 2025, where Parker coached last season. After picking up the playbook the day following being selected, that understanding reached an even deeper level when he arrived one week later for rookie minicamp.

“We hit it off because he was very familiar [with the scheme],” Parker said. “He knew what we were going to do because he watched our tape from Philadelphia from the past two years.”

“Extremely smart,” fourth-round pick Devin Moore said after working with Downs over the weekend. “He knows the whole defense. He’s a leader. We’re in meetings, and he’s learning a lot of positions, learning the whole defense. He’s a guy I can come talk to if I have a question. He does stuff the right way.”

Spagnola: No longer LB worrywarts for now – Mickey Spagnola, DallasCowboys.com

The additions of Dee Winters and Jaishawn Barham were huge for the Cowboys.

See, since the end of this past season there has been universal high anxiety over the Cowboys inside linebacker position, and with good reason, me included. While the Cowboys had plugged a bunch of holes in free agency, there still seemed to be a gaping one at middle linebacker, no matter what defensive alignment they’d be in. Be it 3-4, 4-3 or 4-2-5 in the nickel, made no difference. Heading into the draft, just worrisome. And they were aware, too, especially after that disastrous 2025 defensive season when they merely nibbled at a vacancy fix, signing rotational Bears unrestricted free agent Jack Sanborn; having traded for more of an outside linebacker in Kenneth Murray, who was forced to move inside out of sheer necessity when Sanborn was injured; drafting Florida linebacker Shemar James, but 21 years old with just three years of college experience and having to learn on the job; swinging an in-season trade for veteran Logan Wilson on Nov. 7, who had but one start in seven games played before moving on; and then awaiting the return of DeMarvion Overshown from end of the 2024 season’s ACL surgery.

Nothing seemed to fire.

Then in the 2026 NFL Draft, even though sitting at No.12 in the first round, nothing at inside linebacker seemed to fall their way. Within the first 10 picks, gone were two potential candidates, Arvell Reese to the Giants at No. 5 and Sonny Styles to Washington at No. 7, though both expected to be off the board that early. And by then, none of the other linebacker candidates, such as Jacob Rodriguez, C.J. Allen, Josiah Trotter or Anthony Hill, were evaluated higher than second-round picks.

Also, no sense reaching, not when an expected top-five choice Caleb Downs was sitting there heading into Miami’s 11th pick in the first, the Cowboys not hesitating one bit nor willing to risk losing Downs by trading up that one spot to assure he was their guy.

And without a second-round pick and having traded down from No. 20 in the first to 23, they still couldn’t qualify taking any of those other linebackers that high when they already had their eye on defensive end Malachi Lawrence, owner of a higher grade. And then when those aforementioned linebackers with second-round grades began falling in the second like trees in a storm, the Cowboys sprang into action.

Just a wee bit before the second hour of Round 2, the Cowboys traded their own fifth-round draft choice to San Francisco for Dee Winters, the linebacker having started in 27 of his 32 games played for the Niners over the past two years. There you go, Winters immediatelybecoming one potential starting inside linebacker, along with a finally healthy Overshown in this his third offseason since drafted in the third round of 2023.

Cowboys RB Jaydon Blue needs to earn the RB2 role this offseason – Connor Livesay, Blogging The Boys

Dallas will undoubtedly benefit if Jaydon Blue can take a Year 2 leap.

The Dallas Cowboys had high hopes for rookie running back Jaydon Blue, after drafting him out of Texas in the fifth-round of the 2025 NFL draft. Unfortunately, leading up to training camp last year, reports started to surface about Blue’s professionalism and maturity before the team got to Oxnard. Those reports seemed to be true, as Blue only saw action in five games in a healthy rookie season (once recovered from preseason ankle injury), with no great option behind Javonte Williams as the teams RB2.

In the final game of the 2025 season, Cowboys fans got a glimpse of why Blue was highly-touted in the draft. In Week 18 against the New York Giants, Blue rushed 16 times for 64 yards and a touchdown. Blue’s ability to generate explosive plays on the ground or as a receiver were never an issue, but his ability to pass protect, take care of the football, and take the Monday through Saturday stuff seriously seemed to be.

Head coach Brian Schottenheimer spoke multiple times about Blue needing to be more consistent in practice in order to earn a jersey on gameday. We saw multiple times last year how seriously first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer took the missing curfew, meetings, and/or not being consistent in practices.

Did Cowboys successfully address these 3 concerning offseason issues? – Ben Grimaldi, Cowboys Wire

It’s been a busy offseason in Dallas with all the things they had to get corrected.

The Dallas Cowboys had a lot of work to do to get back to their winning ways as they entered this offseason. A second-straight lackluster outcome of missing the playoffs for consecutive years wasn’t in Jerry Jones’ plans for 2025. That’s why this was a big spring for the Cowboys, who had to start heading in the right direction Brian Schottenheimer’s second year as head coach. With the team’s offseason program beginning, here’s a look at whether the Cowboys fixed any of their major issues.

**Find a capable defensive coordinator – Check**

The answer to this is a resounding yes! After an exhaustive search, the Cowboys hired one of the top young defensive minds in the league in Christian Parker. The 34-year-old, defensive passing coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles was one of the most highly sought after coaches this offseason. Schottenheimer was able to lock in Parker to help fix a defense that was among the NFL’s worst last year.

Expect that to change with Parker. There is no shortage of hype surrounding Parker, who led a meticulous search for position coaches who shared his vision similar to how Schotty assembled the offensive staff last season. Everyone in the organization has raved about all aspects of what he’s brought to the table since he stepped foot in The Star.

Colts Release Kenny Moore On Thursday, Cowboys Should Call – Shane Taylor, Inside The Star

Do the Cowboys need another cornerback on the roster?

**Perfect For Dallas** As you know the Dallas Cowboys weakest spot on the football team is the defense, mainly the cornerbacks now that they have Jalen Thompson and Caleb Downs at the safety spots. Moore only allowed one touchdown in coverage a year ago, and he can play the nickle spot, the exact position that this team needs at corner. They have a handful of guys on the depth chart right now, but Moore is better than most of them right now. DaRon Bland, Shavon Revel Jr, Caelen Carson, Cobie Durant and Devin Moore are the main guys right now, three of whom are always battling injuries, and I mean do we really trust Carson? Because I don’t.

If you missed it though, they are clearly looking for a body for the CB room because they hosted Adoree Jackson, who, by the way, is not a good football player right now. Jackson is a former first round pick by the Titans, but has not been good for years, he is more of a body that teams have been using.

Last season, Jackson appeared in 14 games for the Eagles and made 10 starts. He recorded 55 tackles, one interception and 11 passes defended. ***Daily Discussion Question:*** **What is your favorite part about the offseason?**