Not each presumption conflict is created equal. Some find depth, portion others could signifier the Cowboys’ ceiling successful 2026. Let’s analyse immoderate of the presumption battles that could find the Cowboys’ destiny this season. We cognize Brian Schottenheimer has declared near tackle an unfastened competition, but it’s hard to judge helium isn’t utilizing a motivational method connected Tyler Guyton, truthful we’re skipping it here.
Running Back
This is the lone violative radical connected this list, and it’s connected present due to the fact that of the question marks down Javonte Williams. Williams accounted for 52% of the Cowboys’ rushing attempts past season, 56% of rushing yards and 61% of the Cowboys’ rushing TDs. The word bell-cow is utilized a lot, but determination is nary denying however important Williams is not lone to the tally game, but to the full offense.
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The adjacent rusher successful 2025 aft Williams was Malik Davis, and though helium has proven to beryllium a serviceable back, the dropoff successful stats is immense. Davis gained 250 yards connected 52 carries and scored 2 touchdowns past season, a 951-yard quality successful yards gained and a quality of implicit 200 attempts.
Williams is not going to get 300 carries. Another 1 of these backs needs to look similar Davis, Jaydon Blue oregon Phil Mafah, to not conscionable spell Williams, but bring a antithetic magnitude to the tally crippled that complements him. Both the level and the ceiling for this offense, that was already an exceptional portion successful 2025, volition beryllium taken to caller heights if they get an explosive RB2.
Inside Linebacker
It is nary concealed however atrocious Dallas’ defence was past year. Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus paid for it with his job. Linebacker was 1 of those positions that was perpetually getting exposed. Perpetual missed spread assignments and a deficiency of velocity and athleticism exposed this corps. They were among the reasons Cowboys fans were despondent of the antiaircraft show successful 2025.
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Now the vigor has shifted. Christian Parker’s determination to a basal 3-4 has insulated the interior linebacker presumption and afforded the would-be starters, DeMarvion Overshown and Dee Winters, the accidental to shine. Outside of those two, the presumption volition beryllium defined by depth. Solid extent volition let Overshown and Winters to enactment caller erstwhile they request a spell, without having a immense drop-off. There is besides the specter of Overshown’s injuries which means idiosyncratic needs to beryllium acceptable to measurement in.
This volition each beryllium connected whether the 2nd and 3rd portion tin develop. As it stands, Jaishawn Barham, Justin Barron, Shemar James, Curtis Robinson and Langston Patterson are penciled successful arsenic the backups down Winters and Overshown. It’s a harmless presumption Barham volition beryllium playing each implicit the enactment of scrimmage and the 2nd level; his ceiling is high, but helium inactive mightiness beryllium a project. Can Barham and James marque capable sound to solidify their lasting connected the roster? If that happens, the 2nd level that saw truthful overmuch turbulence past twelvemonth could yet gel and get the Cowboys the stops they couldn’t past season.
Cornerback
Another maligned presumption radical successful what was a unspeakable defense, the cornerback conflict volition beryllium a contention wherever aggregate positions are up for grabs. The projected starters are DaRon Bland and Cobie Durant. Durant volition beryllium trying to found himself successful Dallas arsenic a first-year Cowboy; Bland is trying to bounce backmost from different injury-riddled season.
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The Cowboys’ secondary allowed the second-worst antiaircraft passer standing past season, arsenic opposing QBs averaged 109.6; lone the Jets were worse, averaging 110. The Cowboys volition look to marque thing retired of a steadfast premix of veterans similar Bland and Durant, on with youngsters similar Shavon Revel Jr., Caelen Carson, and Devin Moore.
The cardinal present for the cornerbacks is simply improving connected what was bottom-of-the-barrel defence from a twelvemonth ago. With reinforcements on the beforehand 7 and assistance connected the backmost extremity with Caleb Downs, who volition beryllium seeing a ton of enactment astatine the nickelback position, this proposition isn’t far-fetched. The corners volition beryllium pushed by facing a large Cowboys receiving corps successful practice. They could marque the biggest turnaround arsenic a presumption radical 1 twelvemonth to the next.
Edge/OLB
Dallas is rebuilding its antiaircraft identity, and arsenic the aged trope goes, “football is won and mislaid astatine the enactment of scrimmage.” And for the Cowboys, they are looking for much than conscionable replacing their starring sacks leader, Jadeveon Clowney, with 8.5, astatine edge. Unlike the different positions, the antiaircraft borderline tin acceptable the code from the crushed up, thereby affecting each level down it, either positively oregon negatively. This is thing past year’s antiaircraft borderline presumption failed to bash consistently.
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Now, buoyed by the accomplishment of players similar Rashan Gary and first-round prime Malachi Lawrence, the Cowboys person caller humor to physique upon. Joining those 2 are James Houston, past year’s No. 2 sack leader, and Donovan Ezeiruaku, who galore are expecting to spot a large leap from.
If the borderline presumption tin provender disconnected the antiaircraft interior, anchored by Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams, past the remainder of the defence could autumn into spot similar dominoes. That, however, volition commencement successful grooming camp, and these battles could beryllium among the astir carnal and aggravated of immoderate positional battles.
Which of these battles is astir important for the Cowboys?
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