Dallas Cowboys Prepare for Offseason & Draft with 2 First-Round Picks

ARLINGTON, TX — The Dallas Cowboys have packed it up for the 2025 NFL season and now will focus on the upcoming offseason, free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft.

The Dallas Cowboys finished the season second in the NFL East with a 7-9-1 record. That gives them the 12th overall pick in the draft which, coincidently, was the exact same place they picked last year when they selected Alabama offensive guard Tyler Booker.

The one thing the Cowboys have this year is another first-round pick from the Green Bay Packers as compensation for trading Micah Parsons during the 2025 NFL season. The Packers play the Bears in the wild card round of the playoffs and, if they lose, it could give the Cowboys the 20th overall pick.

Every dumb fan will say the Cowboys need a new owner, general manager or quarterback, but Jerry Jones and Dak Prescott are not going anywhere.

Just like in the past, Dallas will fill needs in free agency, and that will give them the “best player available” mindset. While the players they pick up in free agency will at least bring new blood to the team, it’s no secret they need to add young talent to the roster, especially on defense. It does remain to be seen if defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus will be with the Cowboys another season. It’s early on “black Monday” right now.

Whoever the defensive guy is, Dallas needs to add some talent and has to hit on both of its first-round picks. Right now, the Cowboys have two picks in the top 32 selections then do not pick again until the fourth round, though they could possibly find a team willing to trade up to accumulate more picks.

The 2026 NFL Draft begins April 23.

Just going off of very early draft big boards, the 12th overall player is as follows:

nfldraftbuzz.com - Jordyn Tyson - WR- Arizona State

The Cowboys traded their third-round selection to the Pittsburgh Steelers for wide receiver George Pickens, who had an incredible year with the Cowboys. Pickens had 93 receptions for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns — by far his best statistical season yet. The Cowboys may want to resign Pickens if the money makes sense, but Tyson could be a viable replacement. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound pass catcher had 61 receptions for 711 yards and eight touchdowns for the Sun Devils last year. Even if the Cowboys do decide to resign Pickens, Tyson would give the Cowboys three dangerous options in the receiver room along with CeeDee Lamb.

pff.com - David Bailey - DE - Texas Tech

It was a hell of a season for the Red Raider after transferring from Stanford. He was a force and had 65 pressures, 14.5 sacks, and finished with an FBS-0best 21.4% pressure rate. He is 6-3, 250, has speed around the edge, and is explosive. In the current NFL, teams can never have enough pass rushers. After trading Parson and adding to the problems in the front seven, Bailey makes sense to add a talented edge presence on a rookie contract.

cbssports.com - Jeremiyah Love - RB - Notre Dame

The Cowboys signed Javonte Williams in free agency last offseason, and he turned out to be a productive back before ending the season on injured reserve. Williams started 16 games, had 1,201 yards on 252 carries, and 11 touchdowns on the ground. The 6-foot, 215-pound Love is the No. 1 running back in the upcoming draft. He had 1,372 rushing yards and 18 TDs this past season. Love has game-breaking speed and explosiveness, is a receiving weapon out of the backfield, and he isn’t an injury concern. When the Cowboys had an elite running back in Ezekiel Elliott back in 2016, their offense was dangerous.

tankathon.com - Keldric Faulk - DE - Auburn

Another pass rusher the Cowboys could add to the front, Faulk has prototypical size at 6-6, 285, and can line up all over the defensive front. Like DeMarcus Lawrence, Faulk is an awesome run defender, something the Cowboys have lacked for a few years. His high motor and violent play gives Dallas something to work with as he comes along as a pass rusher.

usatoday.com - Spencer Fano - OT - Utah

The Cowboys have hit a lot more than missed in the first round when picking offensive linemen. A few years ago, they drafted Tyler Guyton out of Oklahoma who has had an inconsistent year. Dallas could look to find a replacement in the 6-6, 302-pound Fano. One of the top players at the position in the upcoming draft, Fano brings experience at both left and right tackle. He is a good athlete with quickness and ability. He could put on more weight at the pro level.

Other players to keep an eye on are Ohio State safety Caleb Down, Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles, Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy, LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane, and Texas A&M edge defender Cashius Howell.