Cowboys news: Caleb Downs will have to special things for DROY

Jun 16, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys first round draft pick Caleb Downs throws out the first pitch at game between the Minnesota Twins and the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-Imagn Images | Jim Cowsert-Imagn ImagesWho is Caleb Downs's Competition for Defensive Rookie of the Year? - Mark Heaney, Inside The Star

Who stands between Downs and hardware his rookie season?

Notably, those guys are both true corners playing on the outside; Downs will be playing in the nickel this season for Dallas, but it is genuinely rare for a safety/secondary Swiss Army Knife to win this award.

The good news is that Downs is a genuinely rare player, so the past may not matter in his case, and the following players will have to overcome that to win it themselves.

1. David Bailey, EDGE, NYJ (+500 via FanDuel)

The top EDGE Rusher taken in the 2026 NFL Draft, David Bailey joins the Jets with a ton of potential and a clear-cut starting role. He will be given the chance to tally up the sacks, and if he does, he'll remain a top contender for this award.

2. Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, TB (+550 via FanDuel)

Rueben Bain dominated at Miami, but fell in the draft due to concerns over his arm length. If he overcomes those worries, he will be an impact defender in Tampa Bay immediately, and he could easily run away with this.

3. Arvell Reese, LB, NYG (+800 via FanDuel)

Down's teammate at Ohio State, Arvell Reese landed in New York at 5th overall, and he now poses a major threat to any other rookies hoping for the DROY. His mixture of skills and positional versatility means he could fill up the stat sheet in 2026.

Cowboys have one defensive wild card who could reshape the entire season - Marcus Mosher, The Landry Hat

A decent chunk of the 2026 season's outcome rests on Overshown's shoulders.

In a recent article byBenjamin Solak of ESPN, he named one breakout candidate for every NFL team. For the Cowboys, that player was none other than Overshown, who is entering a very critical contract year. Despite playing just 13 career games, many believe he is poised for a huge season and could earn a big deal in 2027.

Solak is clearly in that camp as he believes Overshown is one of the most important players for the Cowboys on the defensive side of the ball. However, there are still some major concerns about Overshown going into the 2026 season. Here is a snippet of why Solak believes Overshown can be a star this season, but also why it's fair to be a bit skeptical of him going into the year:

Overshown did not look like himself after returning last season in Week 11 - he had only one TFL in six games after posting eight in 13 games during the 2024 season. He cleared 19 mph in top speed seven separate times in the 2024 season, per NFL Next Gen Stats; he never cleared it in 2025. As he gets further away from the injury, he'll hopefully recover the top speed that allowed him to play sideline to sideline and trigger quickly on those behind-the-line opportunities."

This is thefirst year that Overshown is completely healthygoing into training camp since his rookie year (2023). He's not recovering from any sort of injury, and he should be full go for the first time in his NFL career. However, expect the Cowboys to be somewhat cautious with him during camp, as they obviously know his injury history, and that could mean several veteran rest days" throughout camp.

Cowboys' Offensive Line Has Concerning Weakness That Could Hurt NFC East Hopes - Josh Sanchez, Sports Illustrated

The line is only as strong as its weakest link.

Former first-round pick Tyler Guyton enters training camp in a couple of weeks in an open competition with 2024 seventh-round pick Nathan Thomas, in whatcould be a make-or-break year for the No. 29 overall pick in the 2024 draft.

When it came to theexecs and coaches ranking the top 10 offensive tacklesin the league, there were no Cowboys to make the list, not even as an honorable mention. That highlights just how much the team's current tackles need to prove if the offense is going to continue firing on all cylinders like a year ago.

Could OT Concerns Hinder NFC East Title Hopes?

We previously discussed how theGuyton vs. Thomas left tackle battle at training campcould impact the Cowboys' hopes at winning the division, and the latest rankings once again bring that to the forefront.

Everyone knows that the offense goes as far as Dak Prescott can take it, and if he is not protected, the maximum potential takes a blow. When Prescott is healthy, he has proven he can play at an MVP level, but he has dealt with serious injuries in the past.

That's something the Cowboys will need to avoid in 2026 in order to take the next step and return to the postseason for the first time in three years.

Luckily, Guyton has shown during the offseason that he is dedicated to improving his skills byworking out with some of the elite offensive linemen across the league. Let's hope that the offseason work pays off and Guyton can finally put his best foot forward in 2026 to remind everyone why he was highly touted as a prospect coming out of Oklahoma.

Free agent Stefon Diggs says no WR2 is better than him - Charean Williams, PFT

George Pickens may have something to say about this.

My opinion, I cancompete with anybody," Diggs said in a video on his YouTube channel last week. But take those [top wide receivers] as your 1s, right? You can't name a No. 2 better than me."

Diggs said presumably" all 32 NFL teams have their No. 1 wide receiver for this season. He argued, though, that there are only seven real [No.] 1s" in the league.

There's not a No. 2 on a team - let's presumably give people the credit and just say, OK, you want to take the No. 1 spot away,'" Diggs said. Name your No. 2 receiver right now, and tell me how much he makes, and then my last question is: Is he better than me?"

Diggs, 32, underestimates some of the top receiving duos in the league.

The Bengals have Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins; the Cowboys have CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens; the Rams have Davante Adams and Puka Nacua; the Patriots have Brown and Romeo Doubs; the Lions have Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams; and the Vikings have Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.

Daily discussion question: How many (of 53) roster spots do you think are truly available to be had?