The Dallas Cowboys had 1 position that killed their chances at making the playoffs in 2025, and that position was cornerback.
Week after week, we were treated to an aerial display by the teams the Cowboys faced thanks to the struggles of that 1 particular position group, and it’s hard to see how it’s improved much in 2026.
NFL.com’s Matt Okada singled out cornerback as the biggest remaining roster issue for the Cowboys headed into 2026, although there might be a dark-horse answer on the roster in 2026 4th-round pick (No. 114 overall) Devin Moore.
“After making important additions at every level of the defense, the Cowboys don’t have many major issues across their starting roster,” Okada wrote. “However, the depth of their cornerback room raises concern. DaRon Bland, an All-Pro in 2023, is the star of the group, but he’s missed 15 games over the last two seasons. Free-agent signee Cobie Durant, who is playing on a one-year deal, is good in coverage but questionable against the run. Shavon Revel Jr. would need to make a huge jump to be trusted after an injury-marred rookie year, but he was a top-80 pick in the 2025 draft. Rookie Devin Moore is a Day 3 dart. No one else offers much upside. Unless someone steps up early and often, Dallas might remain susceptible on the outside.”
Cowboys Already Took Chance on Devin Moore
The Cowboys rolled the dice taking talented but injury-prone University of Florida cornerback Devin Moore.
Moore only played 1 full season of college football due to injuries.
“With the 114th pick, the Cowboys select Florida CB Devin Moore,” ESPN’s Todd Archer wrote on X. “Has the size (6-3, 198) and has ball skills but had a lot of injuries in school … From ESPN Research on Devin Moore: 19.8 QBR allowed as primary defender since 2023, 5th lowest in SEC (min. 45 Att Against); Opp completed just 8 of 21 attempts against him as primary defender in 2025 (38%).”
NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein correctly predicted Moore would be drafted in the 4th round.
“Moore is a long outside cornerback with good size but limited experience due to injuries,” Zierlein wrote in his pre-draft evaluation. “His size and length benefit him from press. He plays with adequate eye balance as a short-zone defender. Moore is a good deep-ball tracker who tilts jump balls in his favor, but he lacks make-up speed to run down coverage mistakes. He’s upright with sluggish hips in transitions and is missing the foot quickness/acceleration to stay connected with quicker route-runners. Improved anticipation and decisiveness should come with more snaps but durability concerns could hurt his draft stock.”
Cowboys Solved Secondary Problem in 1st Round
For as many red flags as taking Moore might raise, they may have solved all of their secondary problems when they selected Ohio State All-American safety Caleb Downs in the 1st round (No. 11 overall).
Picking Downs drew almost universal acclaim for the Cowboys, who used both of their 1st round picks on defensive players, adding UCF edge rusher Malachi Lawrence at No. 23 overall.
“Dallas traded two fifth-round picks to move up one spot, but it was worth it,” ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. wrote. “The Cowboys got my No. 6 prospect and a culture-changer for a defense that needed one. They had a top-five offense last season. It didn’t matter. Dallas would get into the end zone, and opponents would immediately go the other way and score. But Downs won’t tolerate that on the back end of the secondary. He diagnoses and sniffs out plays, and he has the coverage and tackling ability to limit the big plays that buried the Cowboys in 2025 (54 plays allowed of 25 or more yards, most in the NFL).”
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