
The Dallas Cowboys’ defense looks rejuvenated—are they poised for a dominant season or still missing key pieces? Marcus Mosher and Landon McCool spotlight upgrades at linebacker and edge rusher, with Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark, and Rashan Gary leading the charge. The revamped safety group—including Jalen Thompson, Caleb Downs, and PJ Locke—raises the bar, but question marks linger about Malik Hooker’s role and depth at defensive tackle.
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Foreign.
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Your team every day.
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I checked Allstate first and saved hundreds
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And I drove off while still still attached to pump number three. Yeah, checking first is smart. So check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds. Potential savings vary, subject to terms, conditions and availability. Allstate North American Insurance Company and Affiliates Northwark, Illinois EST Episodio es presentado por Opel La primera piloranti conceptiva di aria de venta libre desponible Los Estados Unidos aproada por la effedea de potencia completa y libre desprojeno ademas no neces en los quenecita vas prescription medica para la pildor anticonceptiva. And. The Dallas Cowboys made a ton of improvements on defense this offseason, but we'll tell you where they can still get better next. You are Locked On Cowboys, your daily Dallas Cowboys podcast, part of the Locked On Podcast network. Your team every day. Welcome back. I am your host Marcus Mosher. He is Landon McCool, and today's episode is brought to you by Game Time. Download the Game Time app, create an account and use promo code locked on for $20 off your first purchase on today's show. We are taking a look at the Cowboys depth chart on defense as we get into OTAs and minicamp over the next month. We're going to look at some spots that could still be addressed. We're going to look at the safety room because I'm not entirely convinced that Malik Hooker is going to start, but we'll get to that later. Let's just start with a big picture overview, and if you're watching with us on YouTube right now, you can see our depth chart laid out here. How do you feel about this defense right now compared to how you felt about them in week one last year going into that matchup against Philadelphia?
B
Yeah, it's interesting, right? Like kind of trying to view this through windows. Right. Versus where we were at the beginning of the off season and then going all the way back to where we were at the beginning of the season last year. Right. I think that this team feels more, you know, it feels a little bit younger. It feels a little bit more on the rise, more on the up. Right. Than where we were last year. It felt. I think last year at this point we were still reeling so hard from the Micah Parsons situation and. And I And I, and it felt like, you know, we were trying to make do, like, trying, you know, we had just gotten all these assets for, from the trade and we hadn't really fully invested them into things yet. We, you know, obviously we had Kenny Clark, but we didn't have Williams at that point yet. So I just feel like where we were, where we, how we felt about this team and the direction it was headed a year ago, or not a little bit in the future in a year ago. Week one of last season, I think was, man, this team feels like we just lost a major piece and we're on the arrows pointed down, whereas now it feels like they tore the whole thing down. And, and now we're, we're headed back up to see exactly, you know, how what, where the floor and ceiling of this, this defense is.
A
In hindsight, it is always 2020. So it's, it's. I know it's hard to like, wash out the 2025 season and just think about where we were at kind of going into that Week 1 matchup. But there's a couple spots that I think are clearly better now than they were, you know, at week one last year. And there's a couple spots that I think are worse, I think better. I think everybody knows how I felt about Kenneth Murray last year in the trade. You'll. You opened up the season with Kenneth Murray, Maurice Leophow and Jack Sanborn as your top three linebackers. And while I think all of us were a little frustrated that they didn't do more at the linebacker position this year, I think the fact that you have a healthy, significantly healthier Demarvian Overshone. Yes. You've got Dee Winters. We'll see what bar him can do. But even then, just having Winters in overshown, I feel so much better about those two compared to Leo Fowl and Kenneth Murray last year because frankly, you and I just never bought into the Kenneth Murray hype.
B
Yeah. I mean, I just never understood the deal, the trade, and never understood why the Cowboys thought that that was the answer at the position he's been who he has been through this whole time and will probably will continue to be. I agree that I, you know, it's interesting position to kind of point to and say that you feel better about where it is, but the truth is that that's how bad the linebacker position was last year. And, and I think you're right to point out that the health of Overshone and the difference in his health between hoping he gets back to playing at some point and him getting an entire offseason for the first time to kind of go through it and, and develop a little bit. That, that's, that's a huge difference. And, and again, like just another year with Shamar James, I feel better about Barham than I did about James going into the, the, the, the class last year. Into the year last year. And, and, and I think you, you, you know, you have a very defined role for Barham. I think that he's going to be able to fit in a very specific way. And, and honestly, I think that's also what's kind of helped with a lot of these positions is just. It feels like the clarity of what these guys are doing at their positions is a lot more clear than it was last year. Even though this was kind of a rehash of a rehash of the same sort of defense that we had played, you know, in some sort of iteration the four previous years, there wasn't, you know, it wasn't really clear who was always doing what. And I think that also was reflected on the field. And I think now we've changed defenses and there's still a lot of clarity not only in what they're saying that these guys are doing, but also who they're going out and getting and put plugging into this defense that. Like it did last year.
A
Another position that I feel better about is the pass rusher, whether you want to call it defensive end or outside linebacker. Last year going into week one, you had Dante Fowler, Martian Nealon, Sam Williams, Donovan as a Rocku, and James Houston. Now you have, you still have Houston, Sam Williams and Azaraku, and I would argue that their status hasn't really changed at all. The only thing with Ezraku is I think he's a better run defender than you would have anticipated. Now he's more banged up now than he was at, you know, this time last year, but I think you feel pretty good about where he's at now. You also have Rashawn Gary and Malachi Lawrence basically replacing those two. Again, rest in peace to Marsha Nealon, but it's a, to me, it's just a better room altogether with more talent at the top. Not where we want it to be yet to be.
B
No.
A
You know, to be an elite unit. But I feel like it's, it's certainly not worse.
B
No. Yeah. And again, I think even down to guys like you mentioned, Sam Williams probably given a more appropriate role where in this new year with this new contract, you know, and also going back to a Defense that's very similar to what he was doing in college. So, yeah, I mean, I think it's better all the way down there. Right. So Ezraku, you know, another year under his belt. I think maybe some of that's being counterbalanced with the fact that he's recovering from his hip injury, so we'll see what kind of situation he's in. But you're right, like having an experienced presence out there. I know that the Green Bay folks may not revere him very high, but having an experienced veteran pass rusher who is a very, very good athlete who could, you know, at least be a key part of a pass rush in Rashawn Gary, I think is such a severe improvement on what you had last year. It just raises the floor at the very least of the guys that you have now.
A
One spot that I'm not convinced that they're in a better spot than they were again on September 1st last year is cornerback. And the reason why is going into Week one, you had a Trayvon Diggs who was coming off an injury, but you were still expecting good cornerback play. You had, believe it or not, a healthier Duron Bland, and you also had Kyrie Elam. And I. It ended up not working out with Kyrie Elam, but there was a lot of positive buzz on Elam coming out of training camp, and you felt pretty good that those were going to be your top three corners, and you were just hoping that, you know, they could find or, you know, cobble together the safety spot. Whereas this year you've got Bland, who was, again, coming off a major injury. You signed Kobe Durant, which we're very excited about. You do have a healthier Savon Revel, so that's. That's a good thing. But there's still a lot of question marks with David Moore. Can he stay healthy? Is Kaylin Carson ever going to put it together? What can Bridges do for you? I. I think it could potentially be better than it was last year, but I'm just not convinced it's significantly upgraded from September 1st.
B
Well, I think the problem with last year more than anything, I mean, beyond the way that the secondary played and ultimately Trayvon Diggs lack of athleticism coming back from the injury, I think the problem is that it was. It was a lot of fool's gold. And. And, you know, we kind of were hoping that Diggs would return to form and that Bland would be healthy enough to play, and I think neither were true. And so I, I think their solution this year is to throw numbers at the problem. And that's why I think it's a better situation than it was last year. On top of the fact that I think I just, you know, feel better about not resting on our laurels with having Trayvon Diggs as the answer at one of these cornerback spots. They actually have several different answers, including a free agent pickup, last year's third round pick, another pick this year, all to kind of try to solve that potential problem. So. And on top of that, some guys that they brought back from last year that at least have some NFL experience. So I think at the very least, maybe there isn't the ceiling that we expected at the beginning of last year, but I think that in reality, and we'll see if we're similarly fooled this year like we were last year. But I think in reality the floor is much higher than it was last year.
A
And again, if you're counting the slot position as part of your cornerback room, well, yeah, having yeah and having Caleb Downs makes a huge difference. Now. That's cheating a little bit. But again, that's basically the role he's going to play. At least we think he's going to play. So for that reason it is improved. But I want to talk about the defensive line because we didn't talk about defensive tackle. They were very strong at defensive tackle going into last year. We know they're better because of Quinn and Williams, but could they still add another body? We'll talk about that next. This episode is brought to you by game time. We can stream anything, order food minutes and do everything from our phones. And yet somehow buying tickets to live events still feels way harder than it should be. Long lines, confusing checkouts, prices jumping at the last second. It shouldn't be that complicated. But that's why there's game time. It gives the advantage and back to the fans and it makes getting tickets faster, fast and simple. I was looking at tickets on Sunday for a actually a Bills game that's going to be happening up here. I think it's in week two against the Lions. Their home opener. Would love to go to see that new stadium. It's going to be a lot of fun and it was awesome how quickly you can find awesome seats with game time. The seat views are unbelievable. You can check your exact view in the app before you buy and zone deals is where you pick the section and you can save Even more you2 taps and you have great seats locked in. It's quick, it's easy and it actually makes you want to go to more live events. So take the guesswork out of buying tickets to every type of event. With game time, download the gametime app, create an account, and use promo code locked on for $20 off your first purchase terms. Apply again, create an account, redeem promo code locked on for $20 off, and download the GameTime app today.
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Welcome back to the Lock on Cowboys podcast. We'd like to thank you for making us your first listen every single day. Don't forget to check out the Everydayer club where you can get ad free episodes of the Lockdown Cowboys podcast. Just go to Lothon Cowboys.Supercast.com to join the club. All right, Landon, let's talk about the defensive tackle room, because it's one of the strongest parts on the team. You've got Quinn and Williams. You've got Kenny Clark. You also signed Jonathan Bullard. You signed Otito. Oh, man, Help me out. Yes. I'm gonna get it right before the season starts.
B
I think it's OG Bonnie, if I'm not mistaken.
A
We'll get it right. I apologize. Double up. They also drafted LT Overton. Who's going to kick inside a defensive tackle? You, Jason. You still have Jay Toia, but yet it feels like they need another pass rusher. Because I was looking back at the depth chart going into that Eagles game last year. You had OSA Digizua, you had Kenny Clark, you had Mozzie Smith, whatever. You had Solomon Thomas, you had Perry on Winfrey. It just felt like they had more bodies that could kind of get up the field and rush the passer. And that's my concern. Like, if Quinn and Williams is off the field, who's going to provide that juice at defensive tackle?
B
Yeah, I mean, it's a legitimate question. I. I think that you feel good about having the strength that you need to play the run to line up in a couple of different formations. I think LT Overton really helps unlock a lot of that. We've talked about that before, and I think Bullard, too, can play a couple different techniques. As well, kind of from the, the two eye out to the four. So if you need.
A
By the way, I really, I don't know if we talked about this enough, but I really like the Bullard sign just because he is a good run defender and he can give you 15 to 18 snaps up and down the line.
B
Yep.
A
But he's not a pass rusher at all.
B
Well, yeah, I mean, honestly, honestly, he's a, he's a veteran version of LT Overton, right?
A
Yes.
B
It's like, I mean, you're gonna get really solid run defense. He's gonna, he's gonna help create a wall. He's gonna be a useful player. But, you know, there's a reason he's not gonna make a ton of money and that's because he's not a, he's not a pass rusher. He's. He's a very specific cog for a very specific machine. And, and I do think that obviously that you're hoping to get the focus of your pass rush inside from, from Williams and Clark. I think there's also options obviously to kick someone like Gary inside and have him rush the passer as well. You know, maybe even Lawrence. I mean, he's a bigger guy. Maybe you could you teach him a little bit of that eventually? Probably not this year though. But I, I think that the, the point is, is that you probably do need one more answer as a pass rusher inside. And, and, and it. What's available to you either with a small, inexpensive trade or, you know, someone that you could sign, sign in the free agency might be something that's worth investigating. And honestly, like, you know, even a trade for someone decent would make some sense simply because, you know, you've got a guy that you don't know who's going to be here for too much longer in Kenny Clark. Williams is obviously a guy that they have long term plans for, but, but you need to make sure that there's a, you know, a Robin to his Batman, so he's not getting all the attention all the time. He did really well against double teams last year, but, you know, obviously he would be more effective if you were able to pull more and more away from him from the outside and from the inside. So, yeah, I do agree with you. I think that that could be something that they look at.
A
Well, it's just funny that we spent the last like five years at this time every year looking at these defensive tackles that could come in and trying to find guys that can stop the run. Whether that's like Linville Joseph and Jonathan Hankins and Jordan Phillips. I mean the list goes on and on. Like just trying to cycle these guys in. They could stop the run now. They don't need that right now. They need the guy. The guy that they've had plenty of the last five years is the guy that can kind of knife in and get you some pressures. And yeah, if he's not a great run defender, that's okay. You don't need to be playing him on first and second down. And honestly there's just not very many of those guys out there because the NFL, they really, really value those guys that can be high pressure players, unlimited snaps. Whereas these guys that are rotational run defenders, there's plenty of them available right now in the open market.
B
Yeah, and let's be even more specific, like we're talking about guys who can win the B gap specifically because I think in this defense, like you've got a lot of mug looks, you've got a lot of sim pressure stuff. You, you've got a 250 pound linebacker that you drafted this year that you could sit through the A gap and, and you know, a guy like overshone obviously could do that as well. Those are things that you, you know, even, even the guys that you reduce down inside, like they can win in the A gap against centers if, if they get lined up correctly and they get one on one with the center. I think winning in the B gap is difficult. I think that's why you have to go get the kind of 285, 280 plus pound guys to go win in there. Because you're getting a full face of guard with the potential to tackle getting some help as well. So.
A
Yeah, yeah, please, this guy's, this guy is not going to be available but like they need their version of like Malik Collins who was a good player for the Cowboys. Right. Just. But the problem with Malik Collins is he's just not a very good run defender. But he's an awesome pass rusher. But if you put him on a defense that has great run defenders, he can be a really, really impactful player.
B
Yeah, give him an opportunity. Again, like not a guy that you're starting necessarily, but he'll get a healthy number of snaps, especially as a pass rusher. And then if he could give you anything as a run defender, you put him in as part of a rotation. But honestly, like maybe even a tweener type like Solomon Thomas Thomas or like you said Collins, a guy that's in that 280 to 295. It doesn't really fit a specific role. Maybe still still on the street you can bring in and he comes in and plays just a healthy 20 to 25 snaps for your defense.
A
Yeah, that guy's not going to be playing more than 400 snaps on the season unless you have a bunch of injuries. So it's, it's a part time player. I don't think it's going to be a big name guy like Cam Jordan. I mean Cam Jordan is would be a perfect fit, but I don't know if they're going to want to pay up for that because they that guy's not going to play a lot of snaps. So it's kind of this fine balance of how do you get a talented player to fill that role without busting the budget? We'll see. Lynn, I want to talk about the secondary because safety is another spot that they've obviously made massive improvements in. But is it a lot that Malik Hooker will start in 2026? We'll get to that next. This episode is brought to you by indeed. Workplace Chaos Deadline stacking up, Inbox overflowing and and the one position that you have to fill is still sitting open when the pressure's on and you need the right hire. This is a job for indeed. Sponsored Jobs Indeed Sponsored Jobs help you reach the people who actually fit what you're looking for. Skills, experience, location. So you're not just hoping that the right candidate stumbles across your post. And here's a stat that says it all in the minute that I've been talking to you. Companies like yours have already made 27 hires on Indeed according to Indeed Data Worldwide. So spend less time searching and more time interviewing the candidate to actually check all of your boxes. So just go to indeed.com podcast right now and you can get a $75 sponsored job credit to help give your job the premium status that it deserves@ Indeed.com podcast that is Indeed.com podcast terms and conditions apply. Need to hire. This is a job for indeed. Sponsored Jobs. USAA knows dynamic duos can save the day like Superheroes and Sidekicks or auto and home insurance. With usaa, you can bundle your auto and home and save up to 10%. Tap the banner to learn more and get a'@usaa.com bundle restrictions apply. Welcome back to the Lots on Cowboys podcast. We are going over the Cowboys defensive depth chart kind of going into the off season here a little bit. And Landon, it's it's hard to find a spot that the Cowboys have upgraded more than the safety position. They signed Jalen Thompson in free agency who a lot of people thought was either the best or second best free agent option at safety out there. They draft Caleb Downs, who is widely regarded as the top five player in this year's class. They also signed PJ Lock to a one year deal I think worth about four and a half million, who is a pretty good third or fourth safety. And right now he's your on our depth chart at least the force safety. But do you think it's a lot that Malik Hooker will start this year given that he basically took a pay cut and he's not one of the three guys that Christian Parker brought in?
B
I, I don't think it's. He's a locked, you know, God, we can't. We. A lock. We keep using lock. I, I don't think he's necessarily a lock to, to, to be the starter obviously with the way that they paid PJ Lock and, and obviously with him taking a pay cut. But, but I also think that all three of the. I think a lot of these safeties are going to play a lot. I think that there's going to be a lot of three safety looks. I think honestly if something happens to downs, I wouldn't be shocked if it's Thompson who steps in and plays the nickel as opposed to one of the corners. So I just think that, you know, there's part of the reason that we're talking about these guys as safeties is because it's. They're. They're lining up as nickelbacks like downs, but they're playing kind of a safety position right where they're just closer to the line of scrimmage. They're playing top down. It's that overhang position. It's very similar to the strong safety in a lot of different ways. Right. So yeah, I think, you know, the, the. There is a gonna. There's probably gonna be open competition and, and you know, P.J. locke is, is a guy that's. That probably is closer, more closely closer tied to the coaching staff than Hooker
A
is because Parker had him in Denver when he was in Denver as well. So he's very, very familiar there.
B
But I think that, that, that either way, I think Hooker, I think Lock, I think Thompson, I think obviously Downs, I think Bell are all going to play a lot. And honestly with the way how much they like guys like Elijah Clark, I wouldn't be shocked if they, if they tried to keep him as well and try to use him as well with these Split with the split coverages that they're going to be using. I, I think that it gives them opportunity to play this type of player in a lot of different spots and give these kind of players a lot of opportunity.
A
Well, and that's it. I'm glad that you brought up Elijah Clark because he is listed on our depth chart here. I did not list. Sure. Julius Wood is on here as well. Marquis Bell is here. I just look at the, the depth chart at safety and you've got five or six guys that you feel pretty good about. Malik Hooker is not making a ton of money this year, but you could, you could trade him after June 1st and save about $4 million. He's also 30. I just wonder if there's a chance that they want to get younger and cheaper at that position and they don't want to expose a guy like Elijah Clark who plays on every special teams unit who can play in the slot a little bit. I'm not trying to push Malik Hooker off this roster because I do think he's still a good player. But I wonder, in your two safety looks, is it just going to be Thompson and Downs as the guys that are the primary snap getters? And if that's the case, maybe you don't need to spend that much money on Hooker.
B
I think if I'm looking at all these guys and their skill sets, you're still look, I mean, again, we've talked about this before. Ultimately, this, they're playing a lot of split field coverage stuff. You're going to see a lot of match coverage, some split field stuff. Ultimately every team, just like every team runs a lot of zone, ultimately every team runs a lot of COVID three. Right. Like so. And at the end of the day, Hooker is really good on the post at cover three. Like that's what he does extremely well. So if he's still healthy, I still want him on my football team because I think he's a useful player who I want on the field. And, and safety is a position that, you know, experience really matters. He's got a ton of it and he's still athletic enough that he's not getting left in the dust. So to me, I, I think, yes, let's have the conversation about P.J. locke playing more, but all these guys are going to get a ton of opportunity to play. I, I don't think we should pinch pennies with PJ with, with Hooker on a defense that we're wondering about talent.
A
All right, last thing before we go. The Cowboys generally keep 10 defensive backs let's run through them. We know the guys that are guaranteed to make the roster. Bland, Durant, Downs, Hooker. Well, we're just gonna say hooker right now. And Thompson. That's five. Your top backups, PJ locked at six. Ravel. That is seven. More. That is eight. I would assume Marquis Bell is nine. And that leaves Kaylin Carson. Ready? Stewart Bridges, Elijah Clark, Julius Wood. Who do you think gets that last spot on the roster?
B
I mean, I wouldn't be shocked if they went a little bit long this year at defensive back, first of all, just because of the. Who's their defensive coordinator this year. But if you're. If we are just going with 10 this year, I would say that to me, Clark makes a ton of sense. I mean, again, like, I just think that he's the best player of the rest of those group. I wouldn't be shocked if we come back and trick was he. Bridges has taken a huge jump. He got a lot of playing time last year. He has the athleticism, he has the body to do it. If he kind of put it together, I wouldn't be shocked if he came out and surprised us. But I think based on the trajectories we saw last season, Elijah Clark to me is the name that I would choose.
A
The reason why I don't know if they can go super long on the defensive backs is because I think they're going to keep a lot of defensive tackles. Williams, Clark, Bullard, double low, that's four. Overton is going to make the roster. That's five. And we just mentioned we think they want another player that would give you six defensive linemen on top of at least five edge rushers. I mean, the Cowboys will probably keep about 25 total guys on defense, maybe 26, 10 secondary guys, 11 defensive linemen. That doesn't give you much room for the linebackers either.
B
Yeah, it's interesting. You know, honestly, it's. It's almost time to start having this conversation. But I wonder if the, the conversation doesn't include going a little bit shorter on the offense this year and trying to find a little bit more position crossover there on the offensive line. Maybe. Maybe it's maybe going a little bit shorter at wide receiver than you normally.
A
Well, I think. I think five is where we're gonna get. Get at receiver. And that goes back to our conversation yesterday where that fifth receiver is going to have to be somebody that can play special teams and I don't know, outside of Turpin, if they have that guy right now.
B
Interesting conversations coming up in the next few months on roster, that's for sure.
A
All right, that is it for today's show. We'd like to thank you for making Lockdown Cowboys your first listen every single day. If you never miss an episode, the Everyday Club is built for you. Get locked on Cowboys ad free members only, discord access and so much more. Head over to lockdown cowboys.Supercast.com to join the club. And for those of you on video, we can send you the first ever 24.7national NBA YouTube channel and on audio, make your second listen the lockdown NFL Draft podcast. Follow Landon on Twitter coolbcb. I'm arcusmosier. We'll see you right back here tomorrow. USAA knows dynamic duos can save the day like superheroes and sidekicks or auto and home insurance. With usaa, you can bundle your auto and home and save up to 10%. Tap the banner to learn more and get a'@usaa.com bundle restrictions apply. Looking for the perfect rental? Discover top rated stays loved by guests. Rated highest by real guests through authentic reviews, these traveler loved stays are recognized by the details that matter most and validated by real experience.
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Host(s): Marcus Mosher & Landon McCool
Theme: Dallas Cowboys' Defensive Depth Chart Entering OTAs – Improvements, Questions, and Roster Battles
On this episode of Locked On Cowboys, Marcus Mosher and Landon McCool dive deep into the Dallas Cowboys' defensive depth chart as the team enters organized team activities (OTAs) and minicamp. The hosts evaluate the areas where the defense has improved compared to the beginning of the 2025 season, identify lingering questions, and discuss position battles to watch—particularly linebacker, defensive tackle, cornerback, and safety.
The tone is candid, analytical, and optimistic, with a strong focus on roster construction, player development, and strategic upgrades.
Timestamps: 01:00–03:59
"It felt like we just lost a major piece and the arrow was pointed down, whereas now ... we’re headed back up to see where the floor and ceiling of this defense is."
Timestamps: 03:59–06:42
Timestamps: 06:42–08:33
Timestamps: 08:33–11:02
Timestamp: 11:02–11:48
Timestamps: 13:29–16:57
Timestamps: 16:57–19:26
"Maybe even a tweener type ... a guy that's in that 280 to 295. It doesn't really fit a specific role. Maybe still on the street you can bring in and he comes in and plays just a healthy 20 to 25 snaps for your defense."
Timestamps: 21:40–26:08
"I don't think he's necessarily a lock to be the starter ... a lot of these safeties are going to play a lot."
Timestamps: 26:08–28:33
Timestamps: 28:01–28:33
On Defensive Trajectory:
"It felt like we just lost a major piece and the arrow was pointed down, whereas now ... we’re headed back up." (Landon, 02:27)
On LB Upgrades:
"Just having [Dee] Winters and [DeMarvion] Overshown—I feel so much better ... compared to LeoFao and Kenneth Murray last year." (Marcus, 04:36)
On Pass Rusher Rashan Gary:
"Having an experienced veteran pass rusher ... is such a severe improvement on what you had last year." (Landon, 08:01)
On Defensive Tackle Needs:
"Now they don’t need [a run stuffer], they need the guy that can knife in and get you some pressures ... not a big name, a part time player." (Marcus, 16:57–19:26)
On Safety Competition:
"I don't think [Malik Hooker] is necessarily a lock to be the starter ... a lot of these safeties are going to play a lot." (Landon, 22:19)
"If he's still healthy, I still want him on my football team." (Landon, 25:05)
This episode offers a comprehensive, position-by-position review of the Cowboys’ revamped defense entering OTAs, highlighting upgraded units, persistent question marks, and pending roster battles. The safety room, in particular, stands out as a point of transformation—while needs remain at rotational DT and cornerback depth. Throughout, Mosher and McCool balance measured optimism with critical realism, leaving listeners primed for the key storylines and competitions to monitor as training camp approaches.