The defense can be rebuilt in a hurry!

[Cowboyny]

Another poster mentioned that the defense cannot be rebuilt in this Dak contract window. Always said, for this Parsons trade to be successful the front office MUST sign 2-3 impact fa's and use those extra picks to fix the defense.

-Target defensive lineman in fa, as they usually have the steepest learning curve on the next level. Find a cheaper, high level edge rusher. Add a legitimate, true NT.

-Use those draft picks on Linebacker, Safety, Corner. Outside of corner, those other needs are not top of the draft type prospects as they typically come off the board in that 25-50 range.

-What is most important, is either moving forward with Eberflus or his replacement and building a defense around his and our HC philosophy.

 

[big dog cowboy]

The Cowboys have some money and extra draft picks for 2026. With the right moves, they could get at least 4-5 starters on defense pretty easily. Don't waste resources on injured players.

You are right. The most important thing is getting a good DC and getting players to fit his system.

Side note - I saw a mock draft yesterday that had the Cowboys taking a center on day 3. Why would they ever consider doing that???

 

[Smith22]

One problem, Pickens.

Pickens, with his play, is on pace for a $28 to $32 million contract. If they decide it is worth spending that much on one position, you will be bringing in more dollar store free agents on defense.

 

[Aven8]

This team hasn’t put anything into LB for years and I’m sick of it. We need that true alpha manning the middle that isn’t hurt coming out etc. A Bolton, Roquan, someone like that..

 

[Coogiguy03]

Would probably be the WORST thing to do, building this D quickly. I mean it doesn't seem hard to do, we fans know that we need LB's, DL, and Secondary players like nobody's ever seen before. But these players have to fit the scheme, and be the right guys on and off the field. How bad we are, we need to take our time and think this through. We also have to fit them into our tight tight budget

 

[The Natural]

Any defense can be rebuilt in a hurry with the proper coaching + talent evaluators, unfortunately we have neither.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

-Use those draft picks on Linebacker, Safety, Corner. Outside of corner, those other needs are not top of the draft type prospects as they typically come off the board in that 25-50 range.

+1 .....also these positional players can usually make an impact a bit faster

 

[glimmerman]

If we get healthy and it’s looking like maybe a new DC we could be ok with a player or 2. He has our corners playing 10-12 yards off the receiver. Diggs is doing it because he isn’t healthy enough to be back out there. He was ahead of schedule on his rehab but not ready to play. Not sure about Bland. Some of our young D-Line is starting to catch on but corners playing that far off is killing us. Easy 10 yard pitch and catch play. Give them help and they run on us. Was embarrassed to watch dowdle do that to us. Our Offense can hang but can’t expect to score on every drive..

 

[LysleE]

I think it will be difficult to rebuild in a hurry with an owner who will hire a DC of his choosing, regardless of defensive philosophyi; and who has not been active in acquiring key players in free agency. Moreover, why rush to rebuild…take the time to do it right.

 

[CyberB0b]

What makes you think this front office is capable of rebuilding anything?

 

[Ironicalicon]

They could do it. Trade, draft and sign FAs. But that's not how they roll. Always need a bunch of cap space for a rainy day.

 

[Creeper]

Another poster mentioned that the defense cannot be rebuilt in this Dak contract window. Always said, for this Parsons trade to be successful the front office MUST sign 2-3 impact fa's and use those extra picks to fix the defense.

-Target defensive lineman in fa, as they usually have the steepest learning curve on the next level. Find a cheaper, high level edge rusher. Add a legitimate, true NT.

-Use those draft picks on Linebacker, Safety, Corner. Outside of corner, those other needs are not top of the draft type prospects as they typically come off the board in that 25-50 range.

-What is most important, is either moving forward with Eberflus or his replacement and building a defense around his and our HC philosophy.

Can it be rebuilt quickly? Yes. Will it be rebuilt quickly given Jerry's philosophy of not signing top tier free agents? No.

The Cowboys are lacking at too many positions on defense to solve their problems. They will need an infusion in talent at ever position on defense. DE, DT, LB, CB and S all need upgrades in 2026. Signing someone else's draft busts, or players on the downside of their careers is not going to solve anything. It has not worked. The odds of drafting 4 or 5 players that will make an impact in their rookie year are also small.

I believe it will take multiple years of drafts and a change in philosophy to fix this defense.

 

[ncelkins1]

Why do people assume we will hit in these extra draft picks given our record lately? I’d much rather pull a Rams and trade them for proven good players.

 

[fivetwos]

You’ll get more of the same.

They think what that are doing is working and are adamant about it, and won’t change.

That’s the most depressing part.

 

[kskboys]

Another poster mentioned that the defense cannot be rebuilt in this Dak contract window. Always said, for this Parsons trade to be successful the front office MUST sign 2-3 impact fa's and use those extra picks to fix the defense.

-Target defensive lineman in fa, as they usually have the steepest learning curve on the next level. Find a cheaper, high level edge rusher. Add a legitimate, true NT.

-Use those draft picks on Linebacker, Safety, Corner. Outside of corner, those other needs are not top of the draft type prospects as they typically come off the board in that 25-50 range.

-What is most important, is either moving forward with Eberflus or his replacement and building a defense around his and our HC philosophy.

Yes they can, but only in the offseason, and highly highly unlikely w/ Jerry as the GM.

 

[kskboys]

The Cowboys have some money and extra draft picks for 2026. With the right moves, they could get at least 4-5 starters on defense pretty easily. Don't waste resources on injured players.

You are right. The most important thing is getting a good DC and getting players to fit his system.

Side note - I saw a mock draft yesterday that had the Cowboys taking a center on day 3. Why would they ever consider doing that???

No joke, that's just horrendously moronic!!

Mock drafts by fans are generally weird. They are mostly filled w/ skill players. We could have Justin Jefferson/Jamaar Chase/AJ Brown as our starting WRs and many would still make a mock taking a WR in the 1st. That's why Jerry took Schoonmaker, he runs this org as a casual follow-the-ball fan would.

 

[tomokawan]

The Cowboys have some money and extra draft picks for 2026. With the right moves, they could get at least 4-5 starters on defense pretty easily. Don't waste resources on injured players.

You are right. The most important thing is getting a good DC and getting players to fit his system.

Side note - I saw a mock draft yesterday that had the Cowboys taking a center on day 3. Why would they ever consider doing that???

Step away from the Mock Drafts. LOL

 

[HungryLion]

The opportunity is there.

Will the FO do it correctly though? That’s the big IF

 

[Flinger]

Reasons the D cannot be turned around quickly...

• Too many misses in the draft for D players
• Exporting the few hits in the draft through trade or free agency
• Injuries
• Youth
• Too much change - 3 DC's in 3 years - 4 in 5
• Except for Injuries - all decisions made by an incompetent front office that, publicly, claim "we are good" while data shows we "are last"

This last reason will always create the preceding ones...

 

[Einstein]

...
Side note - I saw a mock draft yesterday that had the Cowboys taking a center on day 3. Why would they ever consider doing that???

Because Cowboys... see Schoonmaker TE 2nd round when we had TEs