The Dallas Cowboys have redone almost their entire defense this offseason — a change starting at the top with new defensive coordinator Christian Parker that could very well see up to 7 new starters on that side of the ball to open the 2026 regular season.
It doesn’t look like 1 of those starters will be 2026 1st-round pick (No. 23 overall) Malachi Lawrence. With the release of the Cowboys’ 1st unofficial depth chart, there’s a chance he might not even make the 2-deep, which should be a sobering thought for Cowboys fans.
Lawrence, 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds, was listed as the 3rd-string edge rusher on 1 side behind Donovan Ezeiruaku and Sam Williams. Rashan Gary was listed as the other starter at edge rusher with James Houston as his backup.
It doesn’t take an NFL personnel executive to understand that even though Lawrence and Williams got the dreaded “or” tag for that backup chart, it puts both of them behind Ezeiruaku, Gary, and Houston.
The Cowboys’ other 1st-round pick (No.11 overall), nickelback Caleb Downs, is already listed as a starter. While Downs is the only rookie starter listed, several rookies — unlike Lawrence — are already on the 2-deep with defensive tackle LT Overton, inside linebacker Jaishawn Barham, and offensive lineman Drew Shelton.
Lawrence signed a 4-year, $20.2 million rookie contract.
Malachi Lawrence Was Surprise 1st-Round Pick
Lawrence, who had 19.5 sacks over the last 3 seasons for UCF.
The Cowboys have had zero identity at edge rusher since trading NFL All-Pro Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers just weeks before the 2025 season.
That’s not to say Lawrence helps them have an identity. The 6-foot-5, 253-pound Louisville native ran a 4.52-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine but wasn’t a 1st round pick in most mock drafts.
NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein projected Lawrence as a 2nd-round pick.
“An NFL-caliber edge rusher with prototypical size and length, Lawrence moves with the suddenness of a smaller player,” Zierlein wrote. “Explosive get-off and a deep bag of moves/counters fuel his pocket disruption. He can win inside or outside but his speed-to-power conversion is average. His hands are subtle but skilled to quickly unlock openings and his secondary rush. He closes with burst and has the motor to hound scrambling quarterbacks. The next level will bring better tackles and more quick-sets, which will test how well his production translates. He makes splash plays behind the line but must provide better consistency and discipline in run support. Lawrence is an ascending prospect with rush polish and pro traits that should be enticing for pressure-hungry defenses.”
Cowboy Traded for Edge Rusher Rashan Gary
The Cowboys made a move to help solidify the edge rusher position this offseason by trading a 2027 4th-round pick to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for Gary, a former 1st-round pick.
“Trade: the Green Bay Packers are finalizing a deal that would send DT Rashan Gary to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a late-round 2027 draft pick, per ESPN sources,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on his official X account on March 9. “New Cowboys’ DC Christian Parker was in Green Bay as a defensive quality control coach when Rashan Gary was drafted in 2019.”
Gary, 6-foot-5 and 277 pounds, was the No. 12 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft and earned his lone Pro Bowl selection in 2024. He’s had at least 7.5 sacks each of the last 3 seasons, but in 2025 he was quickly market-corrected once the Packers obtained NFL All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons in a trade.
Cowboys 1st-Round Pick Given Sobering Depth Chart Update