The 3 best moves of the Cowboys’ offseason

Holding on to George Pickens (so far)

The 2025 Cowboys felt like such a wasted team because the offense was one of the very best in the league, with Dak Prescott putting up MVP numbers that were ultimately ignored because of his team’s record. Javonte Williams also had a career year, and earned a three-year extension for his efforts. Of course, a big part of that offensive production was also George Pickens, who seemingly figured things out mentally and had his most efficient – and most focused – year as a pro. Even with CeeDee Lamb as the number one target in the passing game, Pickens was able to dominate defensive backs game in and game out. In fact, he seemed to get better as a result of playing opposite Lamb, with whom he developed a close bond. With his contract expiring, though, Pickens was slapped with the franchise tag. Initially believed to be a time-saving tactic, it later became clear that the Cowboys want Pickens to play on the tag before committing long-term. That led to questions of whether he’d cooperate and, in the hours leading up to the first round of the draft, it seemed as if the team was on the verge of trading him away. In the end, it was all smoke and mirrors. Pickens has signed his franchise tag and intends to play in 2026 with or without a long-term contract. Schottenheimer was explicit in his statement that the team has no plans to trade the receiver, either. For the time being, Pickens is going to be a Cowboy. That’s great news, because this team can be a legitimate Super Bowl contender if two things happen this year: 1) the defense becomes at least average in terms of efficiency, and 2) the offense remains a top-flight unit. Most of the Cowboys’ offseason was dedicated towards accomplishing #1, but keeping Pickens goes a long way towards accomplishing #2 as well.

Trading up for Caleb Downs

Again, low hanging fruit, but this is the correct answer. One of the things Parker made clear in his introductory press conference as the Cowboys’ newest defensive coordinator was the importance of the nickel position. A defensive back that would also be counted on to fit the run, the nickel in Parker’s scheme needed to be a playmaker at all three levels, a “quarterback of the defense.” Ohio State safety Caleb Downs was very quickly determined to be the ideal fit for such a role. And very quickly after that, it was determined that there was no way Downs would make it to the Cowboys at 12th overall. Technically, that proved to be true. As each pick came off the board on draft night, Downs kept slipping. The unexpected drop of Downs’ college teammate, Arvell Reese, led to the Giants – a popular pick to take Downs – picking him and passing on Downs. And, as we later learned, the Cowboys tried to jump the Giants a few picks later, at ninth overall, to get Downs. But Cleveland did not accept the offer. By some miracle, the Giants still passed on Downs, instead taking offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa. That was enough for the Cowboys to stop tempting fate, and they pulled off a very team-friendly deal – giving up two fifth-round picks – to move up one spot and get their guy. Downs is an insanely talented player – some draft analysts considered him the best defensive player in the entire draft – and his skill set is an ideal fit for the nickel position in Parker’s defense. That confluence of talent, scheme fit, and importance of role make Downs such an easy acquisition to get fired up over. And if he plays the way many expect in 2026, it will go a long way towards fixing the biggest weakness of last year’s team.