Locked On Cowboys Podcast – Episode Summary

Date: January 20, 2026

Hosts: Marcus Mosher & Landon McCool

Episode Theme: Prioritizing Edge Rusher vs. Cornerback for Cowboys’ 2026 Success

Episode Overview

In this episode, Marcus Mosher and Landon McCool dive deep into the Dallas Cowboys' six major roster needs entering the 2026 offseason, with a sharp focus on whether the team should prioritize edge rusher or cornerback for lasting defensive success. They weigh the Cowboys’ current personnel, impending free agency, draft opportunities, and the wider context of successful NFL teams' roster construction. The conversation later broadens to address linebacker, safety, offensive tackle, and running back, always through the lens of maximizing the team’s current Super Bowl window.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Edge Rusher vs. Cornerback: Which is the Bigger Need? (01:23–10:26)

Cornerback:

• The Cowboys need "numbers" at cornerback, not necessarily an elite CB1. The current room after injuries (Duron Bland) and inconsistent rookies (Savon Ravel, Kaelen Carson) is thin and unproven.
• Landon: “You need at least kind of starting level corners this offseason probably to feel comfortable about what you’ve got coming into 2026.” (02:44)
• Marcus: “You need at least three guys that you feel good about, and right now, you don’t have one outside of Bland, who’s banged up.” (04:02)
• The need at corner is exacerbated by Duron Bland’s major injury and the lack of trusted depth.
• The choice of scheme under the new defensive coordinator will influence the cost and type of corner needed. Veteran “zone-savvy” corners are typically cheaper than elite man-coverage specialists.

Edge Rusher:

• The dropoff at edge rusher is less severe because of versatility from depth names (e.g., James Houston, Kenny Clark, Solomon Thomas).
• If the Cowboys land a difference-maker at DE, that alone boosts the unit’s quality, versus the “numbers game” needed at CB.

Draft/Free Agency Strategy:

• Landon and Marcus discuss using free agency and trades to quickly fill CB with dependable veterans, drafting for depth later. Edge can be targeted with premium picks if high-ceiling prospects are available.

Landon: "If you want to try to, you know, sign two veteran guys and then try to cobble together a trio from what you've got, plus another two guys that you get in the free agent market, that makes some sense as well." (06:30)

• The quality and fit of the 2026 draft class at each position matters. The CB class is less top-heavy and features prospects outside the Cowboys’ usual size/length profile.

Marcus: "You have to account for the fact that this cornerback class this year...doesn’t have a ton of clear cut guys at the top." (08:24)

NFL Trends:

• The hosts discuss building via “best player available” versus chasing trends seen among playoff teams, many of whom boast elite secondary players. Defensive ends, while more reliably valuable, may not be as pressing if the Cowboys’ investments in DL are considered enough.

2. Linebacker and Safety: Finding Impact in the Middle (11:20–22:36)

State of the Positions:

• Safety is thin. Malik Hooker (one-year deal), Donovan Wilson (expiring), Marquis Bell (free agent), Wanye Thomas (depth).
• Linebacker group is underwhelming with the injury-prone DeMarvion Overshown as the only notable contributor.

Prioritization Logic:

• Landon: “Linebacker has to be a spot where you need to improve right away...it’s such a position that is indicative of really great defenses.” (14:52)

• Safeties can be patched together later or via street free agency due to the NFL’s general devaluation of the position.

• Marcus notes that current elite NFL teams have gotten by with mediocre linebackers, but having a difference-maker there speeds up defensive growth:

Marcus: “Having awesome linebackers can cover up so many wards...If you can find the guy that can actually cover and can run a little bit, I do think that's the fastest way to getting this defense back to being a competent unit.” (16:33)

Draft vs. Free Agency Strategy:

• The hosts agree: prioritize drafting a potential game-changing linebacker; fill in at safety with veterans who may have lost a step but can still contribute.
• Marcus: “If you can get a real game breaker at linebacker in the draft and piece together the safety room in free agency, I think that's the quickest way to get this defense back to an acceptable level.” (21:38)

Notable Quote:

Landon: "They're tone setters too. Right. And that's...what you need...it becomes a contagious thing throughout your defense." (20:15)

3. Filling Out the Offense: OT and RB (22:39–30:47)

Offensive Tackle:

• The depth at tackle is “acceptable” with Tyler Guyton, Terence Steele (contract question), and Nate Thomas on roster plus Tyler Smith as contingency—though Smith prefers to stay inside.

• Landon: “You kind of have to see what you’ve got in the guys that you’ve got.” (27:42)

• Further draft investment is unlikely; development from within is prioritized. Unless a clear, affordable FA starter becomes available, the line stays mostly as-is.

Running Back:

• Only Jaden Blue and Phil Mafa are under contract. Javonte Williams, a free agent, is the top candidate for re-signing.
• Emphasis needs to be on not “overworking” one back and building a dynamic, tough room for year-long consistency.
• Investment in RB beyond functional play is questioned; the hosts doubt the value of spending a first-round pick or big money on a RB.
• Marcus: “I feel very good that they're going to get acceptable running back play...It's just how many guys are out there that can actually add value to your offense?” (28:28)

Notable Moment:

Landon: “I think that you should be leaning towards more Jaden Blues...maybe another off-season of kind of maturing a little bit puts him in a position to take more of these carries.” (29:42)

Memorable Quotes & Timestamps

• Landon (on CB need): "You need at least kind of starting level corners this offseason probably to feel comfortable about what you’ve got coming into 2026." (02:44)
• Marcus (on positional scarcity): "You need at least three guys that you feel good about, and right now, you don’t have one outside of Bland, who’s banged up. I think it’s corner." (04:02)
• Landon (on DC impact): "The need will be influenced by who your defensive coordinator is...scheme specific corners can be really expensive and really hard to find or, or cheap and easy." (04:44)
• Marcus (on team building): “Team building is not a, you know, it’s not one end all be all...it’s unique.” (07:48)
• Landon (on LB): “Linebacker has to be a spot where you need to improve right away...I feel like safety is still a position in which the NFL just doesn't value it the way that I think a lot of us do.” (14:49)
• Marcus (on fast linebackers): "If you can find the guy that can actually cover and can run a little bit, I do think that's the fastest way to getting this defense back to being a competent unit." (16:33)
• Landon (importance of tone-setter): “They're tone setters too. Right. And that's kind of a little bit more of what you need is more of these physical tone setters that kind of becomes a contagious thing throughout your defense.” (20:15)
• Marcus (on OL/RB resource allocation): “They’ve invested so many resources into that unit. They’ve got to start investing them in defense and just figure out the offensive line.” (28:21)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:23 — Needs assessment: edge rusher vs. cornerback
• 04:41 — Cowboys’ depth problems at cornerback
• 07:17 — NFL team building strategies (copying playoff teams vs. unique approaches)
• 11:20 — Transition to linebacker and safety needs
• 14:49 — Evaluating linebacker and safety, importance and NFL value
• 16:11 — Playoff teams’ strategies at LB/S; Cowboys’ need for athletic linebacker
• 22:39 — Offensive needs: offensive tackle and running back
• 26:00 — Assessment of OL depth; tackling the running back question
• 28:21 — Final thoughts on roster resource allocation

Tone & Language

The podcast maintained a conversational, analytical, and practical tone throughout, with both hosts leveraging detailed roster knowledge and NFL trends, while occasionally adding dry humor and fan-focused urgency as they weigh short-term “win now” moves against long-term stability.

Summary Takeaways for Listeners

• The Cowboys’ top off-season needs are at cornerback and edge rusher, but the team must balance the current injury/depth crisis at CB with the value and developmental curve of each position in this specific draft and free agency market.
• Linebacker should be prioritized in the draft if an instant impact player is available, while safety can be filled with veterans in free agency.
• On offense, do not expect splash moves at tackle or running back; resource reallocation toward the defense makes more sense given recent draft and financial investment up front.
• The team’s 2026 and 2027 competitiveness hinges on thoughtful, adaptable team-building that leverages both veteran stability and calculated risk on rookie development, all while navigating a shrinking window with star players.

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