Locked On Cowboys: "COWBOYS SQUAD SHOW: Can the Cowboys Defense REALLY be fixed?"

Date: February 13, 2026
Hosts: Landon McCool, Jeff Biggs, Glenn "Stretch" Smith
Network: Locked On Podcast Network

Episode Overview

Main Theme:
This episode tackles a burning question for Cowboys Nation: Can the defense actually be fixed enough to make Dallas a true Super Bowl contender? Hosts Landon McCool (Locked On Cowboys), Jeff Biggs (Cowboys Squad Show), and former Cowboys coach Glenn "Stretch" Smith break down the state of the defense, discuss the team's cap situation and offseason strategies, examine GM Jerry Jones' recent introspection, and reflect on what separates championship teams from perennial also-rans.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Can the Cowboys Defense Be Fixed for a Super Bowl Run?

[03:45-07:48]

• Jeff Biggs frames the central question: Despite coaching changes and the possibility of new additions at DB, can the Cowboys truly fix their defense, or is this just offseason optimism?
• Landon McCool:
  • Acknowledges the challenge but sees it as possible:

    "You can rebuild the defense. It's going to be a very difficult task ... but I think if you're talking about building the defense to a place where you feel like they have a good enough team at large to win the Super Bowl—yeah, I do think that's possible." (05:19)

  • Cautions against assuming the offense is already set:

    "Teams need to evolve every year ... it's a mistake to completely rest on your laurels on the offensive side." (07:07)

2. The Salary Cap – Flexibility & Restructures

[07:48-09:56]

• Glenn Smith: Raises concerns about financial resources for filling needs.
• Landon McCool:
  • Outlines the Cowboys’ cap flexibility:

    "You could flip four switches and have enough money to pay for Pickens on the franchise tag, pay for both second-round tenders for backup O-linemen, pay for Williams and a free agent DE ... The Cowboys have $133 million available to them in simple restructures. They are the number one team in the NFL in restructure-capable money." (08:06-09:56)

3. Defensive Identity: Physicality, Technique, and Personnel Needs

[09:56-14:20]

• Glenn Smith:
  • Emphasizes the importance of physical play, especially at DB and on the edges.

    "All of those defenses to me are physical on the edges ... you've got to have the physical size ... if you're gonna get three or four critical stops a game." (10:36)

  • Some tackling issues are fixable with technique, others require new personnel.
• Stresses the need to understand divisional rivals’ personnel, match up accordingly, and target the right characteristics in free agency and the draft.

4. Lessons from Other Teams & the Importance of the Draft

[13:29-14:20]

• Glenn Smith: Highlights how great teams like Seattle have excelled in the draft, turning rookies into instant contributors and managing the cap with a cheap QB: "John Schneider drafted his ass off. He hit with all of those picks. They all play." (13:29)

5. What’s a Realistic Goal? Division Titles and Beyond

[09:56,14:20-16:21]

• Smith grounds expectations:

  "The goal needs to be win the NFC East, get in the tournament ... They're ways from that." (09:56) "You better make four or five moves and they better be home runs ... not talking about a bunch of singles. I'm talking about hit it out of the park." (15:10)

6. Technique, Coaching, and the New Staff’s Role

[16:21-17:40]

• Landon McCool:
  • Stresses that success will require both smart personnel moves and excellent teaching by the new defensive staff:

    "It’s about correcting basic things and seeing if talent shines through once the technique is corrected."

• Smith: Even with additions (Pickens, Williams), offense may still need to score 28-30 per game due to defensive rebuild timeline.

7. Roster Moves & FA: The George Pickens Contract Situation

[22:04-31:16]

• Pickens’ Franchise Tag:
  • McCool explains most likely scenario is Pickens plays on franchise tag ($28.3 million), but a long-term deal would lower the immediate cap hit.
  • Negotiation dynamics: If Cowboys want to keep him and pay more than CeeDee Lamb, it's feasible through creative cap moves—even if it means future pain:

    "If Pickens ultimately wants to stay in Dallas and be paid more than CeeDee Lamb, they could sit down and work it out. It's certainly doable ... You only have a limited window with Dak anyways. So what are we holding back for at this point?" (26:18)

• Agent Leverage:
  • Smith: "He does not have the hammer right now ... You're either the hammer or the nail and he does not have the hammer." (28:01)

8. Max Crosby Trade Rumors – Dead on Arrival

[31:19-35:47]

• Discussion over renewed rumors of trading for Raiders’ Max Crosby.
• Landon McCool:
  • “Seattle offered two firsts, Vegas said no. I’m not interested in giving two first round picks and paying a 29 year old pass rusher $35 million a year ..."
  • The scheme fit, age, and price are all wrong for Dallas now.
• Smith: Would be “completely shocked” if it happened. “If it does, I may quit that day.” (34:23)

9. Jerry Jones' Surprising Introspection: "My Way Doesn't Work If I Don't Change"

[39:29-54:26]

• Jerry tells the Dallas Morning News:

  "My way of doing things doesn't work if I don't change." (39:29)

• McCool: Reflects on possible internal changes in Jerry—perhaps lessons from the Parsons contract saga, Schottenheimer’s offensive process, and the shift toward hiring unfamiliar names, showing openness to new ideas.
• Smith:
  • Defends Jerry as both a shrewd business mind and a boss who desperately wants to win:

    "He is a damn good guy to work for. And I promise you, he wants to win ... He gives you a number ... and he was not turning away from the fact that he had a handshake deal with Micah Parsons. So I don't believe that he ... regrets one thing that he did with Micah." (45:03)

10. What Separates Champions From the Rest? Culture, Leadership & Fear of Failure

[55:53-61:37]

• Emmitt Smith's critique & the championship era Cowboys:
  • Smith and Biggs note the past Cowboys’ “chip on the shoulder” mentality and alpha-male leaders.
  • Smith:

    "If you're not the lead dog, the view never changes ... those Hall of Fame guys had that burn in them ... that's what separates a guy in the HOF from just another guy. And when you have a group like that, that's what wins football games." (57:11-61:37)

  • Fears of failure, intense work ethic (Michael Irvin stories), and player-driven culture are key.

11. Does This Team Have the Right DNA?

[61:54-64:33]

• Landon McCool:
  • “It takes the right types of players in the building ... I think Dak is definitely one of those guys, but even though he’s the quarterback, he’s not enough. You need a lot more of those types of guys.”
• Both hosts agree: you can have a good culture, but culture alone doesn’t win with a 7-9-1 record. The right ‘DNA’—more than just talent—must be recruited and developed.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Landon McCool (on defensive rebuild):

  “It’s going to be a very difficult needle to thread ... But I don’t think it will be impossible to get them to a point where they have a defense that’s competitive enough that, if the offense is good, it’s good enough.” (16:21)

• Glenn Smith (on personnel overhauls):

  “You better make four or five moves and they better be home runs. I'm not talking about a bunch of singles. I'm talking about hit it out of the park.” (15:10)

• Landon McCool (on negotiating with Pickens):

  “You only have a limited window with Dak anyways ... What are we holding back for at this point?” (26:18)

• Smith (on being the 'lead dog'):

  “If you’re not the lead dog, the view never changes ... they may have been selfish in some ways, but they were selfless when it comes to putting it on the field.” (57:11)

• On Jerry Jones (by Smith):

  “He is a smart business guy ... but I don't think for one second he regrets one thing that he did with Micah. That’s just my belief.” (45:03)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:45] – Central Question: Can The Defense REALLY Be Fixed?
• [07:48] – Cap Room and Restructuring
• [09:56] – Defensive Physicality & Technique
• [13:29] – Lessons from Seattle’s Draft Success
• [14:20] – Realistic Goals: Win the Division First
• [16:21] – Coaching, Technique & the Role of Teachers
• [22:04] – George Pickens’ Franchise Tag Discussion
• [31:19] – Max Crosby Trade Rumors Addressed
• [39:29] – Jerry Jones Admits Need for Change
• [55:53] – Emmitt Smith, Team Leadership, and Championship DNA

Takeaways

• Fixing the defense is possible but requires major, targeted moves (both personnel upgrades and better coaching/technique).
• The Cowboys’ cap flexibility is a real asset, if used wisely—simple restructures create significant spending room.
• Dallas must target not only talent but leadership and mentality (“lead dog DNA”), prioritizing competitiveness and accountability.
• Jerry Jones’ recent humility may signal a genuine openness to process changes—or, at minimum, the pressures of a prolonged championship drought.
• Winning franchises do more than just add stars; they cultivate the right mindset throughout the locker room.

For listeners: If you’re craving a blend of realism, capology, culture analysis, and inside perspective on what really needs to happen for a Cowboys turnaround—this episode is a must-listen.

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