The Dallas Cowboys head into the 2026 offseason with some glaring issues on defense, particularly at the safety position.
Dallas had the worst secondary in the NFL during the regular season, allowing a league-high 251.5 yards per game through the air. But help could arrive when free agency rolls around.
Veteran Malik Hooker is still under contract, but he’s a potential cut candidate. Donovan Wilson’s future with the team is unclear, but what is clear is that Dallas doesn’t have an established leader in the middle of the secondary. Free agency could fix that.
“Safety is an extremely deep free agent position,” Reid D Hanson of Cowboys Wire wrote on January 21, adding:
“Dallas is in need of one starting caliber safety. Cover-2 ability is a must but if Hooker stays on, they need someone capable of playing in the box for Cover-1 and Cover-2 looks. Free agency offers players like Andre Cisco, Jalen Thompson, Kevin Byard, Reed Blankenship and Jaquan Brisker who would all represent significant upgrades.”
Why Safety Kevin Byard Could Be Top Free Agent Target for Dallas Cowboys in 2026
GettyBears Safety Kevin Byard could be a top free agent target for the Dallas Cowboys in 2026.
Byard is coming off one of the best seasons of his 10-year career. In 2025, he earned first-team All-Pro honors after leading the NFL with seven interceptions. He was the leader of a Bears secondary that finished first in the league with 33 takeaways, and he helped turn Chicago’s defense into one of the most opportunistic units in football.
His 2025 All-Pro nod marked the third time he has received first-team honors.
Chicago signed Byard to a two-year deal in March of 2024, and he immediately became the leader of the secondary, bringing a level of knowledge and professionalism that resonated with younger DBs.
Dallas struggled in a big way with explosive plays last year, particularly ones over the middle. The breakdowns in communication were glaring and far too frequent, and those are things a player like Byard would fix immediately. He’s also incredibly durable, having only missed more than one game in one of his 10 NFL seasons. He has played in multiple systems and shown he can still produce at a high level.
Considering the Cowboys will have a first-year defensive coordinator next season, having a veteran safety who can be trusted to make sure everyone in the secondary is in the right place on game days would be a huge asset.
Byard Will Have Other Suitors in FA, With Chicago at the Top of the List
Byard is predicted to ink a new deal worth $24 million when free agency hits, and he’ll likely be looking to cash in while he still can.
The Bears would like to keep him — general manager Ryan Poles confirmed as much — and Byard has said publicly that remaining in Chicago would be his preference. Still, free agency has a way of changing minds and conversations, especially when money is involved.
If the Cowboys are serious about shoring up their secondary, making a play for Byard feels like the right move.
Bears Projected $24 Million All-Pro Would Be ‘Significant Upgrade’ for Cowboys