‘Don’t Think That’s Good Enough’ — Former NFL CB Pinpoints Cowboys’ Biggest Issue Ahead of 2026 Season
· Yahoo Sports
Last year, the Dallas Cowboys suffered because of their defense. While the offense remained one of the NFL’s most productive units, Dallas finished with the league’s lowest-ranked defense. In PFN’s Defense Impact Metric, the unit ranked bottom of the league with an impact score of 53.4. Yikes.
So, can the Cowboys turn things around this season? Former NFL cornerback and analyst Domonique Foxworth feels the Cowboys are still not good enough.
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Domonique Foxworth Unconvinced By Cowboys’ 2026 Defense
While discussing Dallas’ outlook, Foxworth explained there is a big gap between the Cowboys and the NFC heavyweights.
“I would believe that [the Cowboys win the division] if you promise me that Hurts just completely tanked the season because I think the Eagles are better,” Foxworth said on NFL on ESPN.
“I think the bar for defense is so much higher in the NFC that I think the Cowboys are a lot like the Bengals, and they were an awesome offense with a very bad defense. I think we believe if the Bengals can get somewhere around mediocre, a little bit better, they’ll be good. I don’t think that’s good enough for Dallas.”
This offseason, owner-GM Jerry Jones reshaped the coaching staff in hopes of changing the defense’s identity. He hired Christian Parker as defensive coordinator to replace Matt Eberflus, while also bringing in several new defensive assistants to support the transition.
Jones also addressed the roster. He strengthened the secondary by selecting former Ohio State defensive back Caleb Downs with the No. 11 overall pick. They also signed veteran safety Jalen Thompson and cornerback Cobie Durant, alongside former Green Bay Packers edge rusher Rashan Gary.
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But Foxworth believes those additions may not be enough for next season.
“They’re going to have to go against the Eagles, whose defense is great,” Foxworth added. “They’re going to have to go against the Seahawks; they’re going to have to go against the Rams. These are teams with great defenses that have the ability to shut down the best offenses in football.
“If they’re going to win their division and then make a run for the Super Bowl, they’re going to have to have a defense that has the ability to do that from time to time, and I’m not sure that they made enough changes to get that done.”
Maybe that is the reason the Cowboys are still considering a potential pursuit of Las Vegas Raiders star Maxx Crosby.
During the Cowboys’ training camp, Jones was asked whether the Cowboys had walked away from trade talks for Crosby.
“We didn’t,” Jones responded, tight-lipped. “There’s nothing more to elaborate on.”
Jones had little room to expand because Crosby remains under contract with the Raiders, and any detailed comments could raise tampering concerns. Still, his answer left plenty open to interpretation. The Cowboys could still explore a blockbuster move if the opportunity presented itself.
And the interest is easy to understand, given Crosby’s production. He appeared in 15 games last season and finished with 10 sacks, 73 tackles, 20 quarterback hits, one interception, and two forced fumbles.
Those numbers earned him an 89.3 grade in PFN’s EDGE Impact Metric, ranking fifth among all edge defenders and reinforcing his value as one of the league’s most disruptive pass rushers.
Whether a deal ultimately happens remains to be seen. But the Cowboys know they cannot repeat last season’s defensive struggles if they hope to challenge the NFC’s top contenders.