Cowboys' Post-Micah Parsons Roster is Finally Taking Shape

Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys are often criticized for not doing enough in the offseason, but their actions have been opposite of that during this NFL offseason. The team was very active after their 2025 season wrapped up, with highlights including trading for edge rusher Rashan Gary, securing safety Jalen Thompson, landing veteran corner Cobie Durant and, of course, drafting Ohio State safety Caleb Downs at No. 11 overall in the 2026 NFL draft.

As the offseason continues, the Cowboys continue to get praise for their moves, especially when it comes to defense.

In a piece published on Wednesday, May 27, Mike Sando of The Athletic named his favorite moves for each NFL franchise during the league’s offseason.

“With most major NFL offseason moves complete, it’s a good time to single out a favorite move for each team,” he says in the feature. “This exercise is always easier for some teams than for others, so some of these ‘favorites’ are relative to what’s available.”

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For the Cowboys, he gives the team high praise for “backfilling the defense at every chance” following their controversial trade of Micah Parsons last year to the Packers.

While Sando says that his favorite single move of the offseason was snagging Downs. But, it doesn’t stop there.

“That was simply one part of an overall theme,” he states in the feature. “The Cowboys’ top seven salary slots for newcomers landed on the defensive side of the ball with Rashan Gary, Jalen Thompson, Downs, Cobie Durant, P.J. Locke, Malachi Lawrence and Otito Ogbonnia. These were not all marquee additions. It's possible Gary could have been signed as a free agent, saving the Cowboys cash and a fourth-round choice. But there was no mistaking the defense emphasis, which was needed.”

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Cowboys fans should be more pumped than ever for the upcoming season. The team wasn’t bad last year and ended the regular season just outside the playoffs, with a 7-9 record. But, the little moves that Jones and company have made this offseason are adding up, and along with a beefed up defense and hopefully healthy offense, the sky is really the limit for the Cowboys in 2026.

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This story was originally published June 1, 2026 at 11:14 AM.