If the Dallas Cowboys have any chance of making a playoff push this season, the defense will simply have to improve. The unit was among the NFL's worst from Weeks 1-9, struggling to stop opposing offenses both on the ground and through the air.
The contrast between Dak Prescott and the offense's success and the struggles of Matt Eberflus' defense made the goal of the 2025 trade deadline fairly obvious for Jerry Jones: add defensive talent. With Prescott dealing and plenty of weapons around him, the Cowboys needed to find some defensive players to address the preseason loss of Micah Parsons, who was traded to the Green Bay Packers.
Jones and Dallas' front office successfully met their goals at the deadline. Whether the moves will work out remains to be seen, but after acquiring star New York Jets DL Quinnen Williams and disgruntled Cincinnati Bengals LB Logan Wilson, there are reasons to believe the Cowboys can make progress on defense in the second half of the season.
How will Williams and Wilson impact the Cowboys' defense? Here's a look at the team's updated depth chart and why the moves were made.
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Cowboys depth chart view
| Position | First Team | Second Team | Third Team |
| DE | Jadeveon Clowney | Sam Williams | James Houston |
| DT | Kenny Clark | Jay Toia | |
| DT | Quinnen Williams | Osa Odighizuwa | Soloman Thomas |
| DE | Donovan Ezeiruaku | Marshawn Kneeland | Dante Fowler Jr. |
| LB | Logan Wilson | Marist Liufau | DeMarvion Overshown (Out) |
| LB | DeMarvion Overshown (Out) | Kenneth Murray Jr. | Shemar James |
| CB | DaRon Bland | Trikweze Bridges | |
| CB | Trevon Diggs (IR) | Kaiir Elam | |
| CB | Reddy Stewart | Caelen Carson | |
| S | Donovan Wilson | Markquese Bell | |
| S | Malik Hooker (IR) | Juanyeh Thomas | Alijah Clark (Out) |
The Parsons trade has been one factor, likely the leading one, in the Cowboys' defensive struggles this season. Without one of the most impactful pass rushers in the league, Dallas has been generating little pressure on opposing quarterbacks — and while Jerry Jones listed run defense as an area he thought he improved in by acquiring Kenny Clark, the team has still allowed the fourth-most rushing yards (1,287) in the NFL through Week 9.
There haven't been many impactful players getting after the quarterback. James Houston's 3.5 sacks through Week 9 lead the squad. Add in a growing list of defensive injuries, between Malik Hooker (toe, on IR), Trevon Diggs (concussion/knee, out), DeMarvion Overshown (knee, out), Shavon Revel Jr. (Knee, out) and more, and the Cowboys have struggled to get defensive stops no matter how their opponent chooses to attack them.
The biggest area where Dallas seems to have improved at the trade deadline is its run defense, which adds up with Jones' preseason comments about aiming to become a better run-stopping team. Clark was already a useful veteran to address the opposing run game, coming back in the Parsons trade. But Williams and Wilson can add a lot more firepower to tackle opposing runners.
Williams is set to play alongside Clark, making for a much-improved interior defensive line duo. Pass rushing also should be less of an issue with Williams in the fold, although the Cowboys' defensive ends still leave a bit to be desired without Parsons.
The biggest remaining question for the Cowboys will be their struggling secondary — they've also allowed the third-most passing yards per game in the NFL thus far. The hope is that eventual returns from injury for Trevon Diggs and Malik Hooker can shore things up, but DaRon Bland's numbers have continued decling two years removed from his nine-pick 2023 season, while the rest of the cornerback room has combined for just four passes defended in 2025.
Wilson and Williams will become immediate contributors for the Cowboys' defense, with hopes of improving a struggling unit against the run and getting after quarterbacks.
MORE: Why did the Jets trade Quinnen Williams?
Cowboys trade for Williams and Wilson
In their last three games, the Cowboys had allowed 119 rushing yards to a Cardinals' run game without James Conner or Trey Benson, 179 rushing yards to the Broncos with 111 from J.K. Dobbins, and 136 rushing yards to the Commanders, which came in a blowout win.
Williams can slot in next to Clark on the defensive line and will provide immediate help against the run, with notable pass-rushing talent as well. According to PFF, Williams has been one of two defensive lineman since 2022 with an 85-plus grade in both pass rushing and run defense. Among players at his position, Williams ranks fourth in sacks (24.5), third in pressures (195) and fourth in grade (90.6) since 2022, per PFF.
It may take time for Williams to get acclimated, but once he does, expect to see Dallas slow down opposing running backs more often while generating more pressure from the middle of its defensive line. Both of these factors could also indirectly help the secondary by forcing quicker reads and passes from quarterbacks.
As for Wilson, he is not the caliber of player that Williams is — hence the difference in the Cowboys' trade packages — but he has proven to be a strong tackler against the run. While he fell out of favor in Cincinnati (which has also struggled defensively), Wilson is one year removed from a 104-tackle season with two forced fumbles, and two years removed from a career-high 135 tackles with four interceptions.
Wilson doesn't have the coverage skills to shore up the secondary's issues, but he can give the Cowboys' linebackers a veteran capable of consistently bringing down opposing runners — something much needed in Dallas today.
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