We have heard plenty in the last few months about the revamping of the Dallas Cowboys defense, a process which started with the firing of former defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus and went on through the hiring of new 34-year-old defensive coordinator Christian Parker. The Cowboys allowed a franchise-record 511 points last season, which was also the most in the NFL, and were rated as the team with the worst pass-coverage unit in the league by Pro Football Focus.
On one hand, there is a lot of work to be done. On the other hand, the Cowboys almost can’t help but get better defensively just by virtue of being out of 2025.
But still, there are issues that addressing on the defensive side still, and among them are depth at linebacker and cornerback. The Cowboys also need help at edge rusher next season–unless, that is, last year’s second-round pick–Donovan Ezeiruaku–can come through with a breakout year.
Donovan Ezeiruaku Had Hip Surgery
Ezeiruaku was taken with the Cowboys’ No. 44 overall pick last season, and while he played well within his role–40 tackles, nine for a loss, in 17 games and nine starts–he had 2.0 sacks and was not big on the stat sheet. The hope is that is poised to change.
But first, Ezeiruaku must get healthy. He had hip surgery to repair a labrum in his hip after the season ended, and there are concerns he will not be ready for offseason work until the Cowboys open training camp in Oxnard in late July.
The Cowboys got a good look at Ezeiruaku this week, though, when a video of him in the midst of a rather intense recent workout cropped up on Instagram, though. In it, Ezeiruaku showed little sign of being slowed by injury.
Cowboys Could Use Production From Donovan Ezeiruaku
That’s especially good news because of all the changes the Cowboys made in the offseason, Ezeiruaku’s health is a wild card. But if he can be healthy, he is a strong candidate for a breakout season.
That was noted on a recent podcast by Jeff Cavanaugh of DLLS Cowboys.
Asked about a breakout candidate for this team, Cavanaugh said, Ezeiruaku had a chance to be a “dude” on the defensive front: “Give me Donovan Ezeiruaku. I feel good about the depth, I feel good about the number of guys that are at least NFL caliber this year. I think that was not true last year. So, you’ve got guys, but you do not have a ‘dude.’
“And for Ezeiruaku, who, I would not say he had a bad rookie year, I would say he was all right, he showed promise, it’s just the pass rush results did not translate from college to the NFL and I thought they had a shot to.”
Cowboys Banking on Defensive Overhaul
The Cowboys will, no doubt, be an improved team. Dallas invested heavily in its defense this offseason after ranking as the worst defense in the NFL in 2025, hoping that new personnel and young, new defensive coordinator Christian Parker can push the defense into something around average or slightly above. With a potent offensive attack, that might be all it takes to get the Cowboys, who were 7-9-1 even with that brutal D, back into contention.
In addition to using six of their eight draft picks on defensive players, the Cowboys also signed safeties Jalen Thompson and PJ Locke, cornerback Cobie Durant and defensive lineman Otito Ogbonnia, and traded for defensive end Rashan Gary and linebacker Dee Williams. Along with new safety/slot corner Caleb Downs–taken with the No. 11 pick–those players are probable starters in 2026, giving the Cowboys as many as seven news defensive starters./
Cowboys Potential Breakout ‘Dude’ Posts Video Amid Injury Concerns