Welcome to an offseason of defensive moves by the Dallas Cowboys.
They've got the offense (although they have to make an official decision on free agents George Pickens and Javonte Williams).
They need to improve on the defense to have a better chance of making the playoffs in 2026.
"Jerry Jones said in Week 16 that he believes the 'bones' of a good defense are in place," ESPN's Todd Archer wrote on Monday. "That can be debated because the Cowboys allowed close to 30 points per game in 2025. Their strength is at defensive tackle with Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark and Osa Odighizuwa, but they have questions at every other position group."
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Archer went on to explain that the Cowboys have as many as four positions to target to improve the defense in free agency.
"The Cowboys will never be big spenders in free agency, but they have to do more than just nibble around the edges, especially defensively," Archer writes. "Finding a high-end pass rusher and cornerback is difficult in free agency, but they can do more at linebacker and safety. There have been more questions than answers in recent drafts, so they need a more proactive approach to free agency."
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Dallas isn't a stranger to big trades, which could come in handy here if one becomes available. Just last offseason, they swung the deal to get George Pickens, then they traded away Micah Parsons.
Jerry Jones has a tough task on his hands, though. It can be tough to take a defense from near the bottom to near the top in just one offseason. And to keep maximizing what is a high-powered offense, Dallas really needs to improve on the other side of the football.
More NFL news:
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- Myles Garrett's Browns teammate high-fived the ref after record
- Falcons would've gone to the playoffs if not for the New York Jets
- The Colts ran a fake punt on first down