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Which Cowboys need to bounce back in 2026?
Kenny Clark
We don’t want to say Clark was bad last season, but he also hasn’t been the Pro Bowl-caliber player he was in Green Bay, and that has been the case since 2024.
Clark notched 7.5 sacks and 61 pressures in 2023, his last Pro Bowl campaign, but the last two years he has just 77 pressures and four sacks.
We’re optimistic about Clark’s chances of returning to that 2023 form because of a position change. Clark is proven to be better when he regularly lines up at nose tackle, something he hasn’t done in multiple years. But in 2026, Clark will be back there in Christian Parker’s defense.
“I pride myself on being an all-around defensive tackle, but I’m primarily a nose tackle. That’s my bread and butter,” he said in 2025.
We will find out soon enough if playing more nose tackle is what will unlock the old Clark, but there’s enough evidence to suggest that is a real possibility.
Which Cowboys could be in line to make their first Pro Bowl?
FRISCO, Texas – Football season is getting closer and closer.
The Cowboys are set to depart for training camp in less a month. That’s when we’ll get an up-close look at Brian Schottenheimer’s second season with this revised roster and coaching staff. When we get to Oxnard, that’s when we’ll start to get some real answers about this 2026 Cowboys team.
But what are the questions? We’ve compiled our annual list of pressing questions that need answers heading into the regular season. The staff writers, consisting of Patrik Walker, Tommy Yarrish, Nick Eatman, Mickey Spagnola and Kurt Daniels, weigh in on some of the pressing issues.
Today, we’ll continue the series with an annual prediction on which player could be ready to take their game to the next level.
Tommy: I’ll say Tyler Booker. I don’t know if it’s been mentioned enough how good his draft selection was for the Cowboys’ offensive line last year Replacing Zack Martin at right guard was never, ever going to be an easy task, and Booker is not Zack Martin. What he did do, however, is minimize whatever drop off anyone may have thought there could have been with a Hall of Famer no longer playing in that position.
Booker has the potential to be a starter at that spot for a decade plus, and I think a full second offseason in Brian Schottenheimer and Klayton Adams’ work is going to benefit him greatly. His rookie season wasn’t perfect and there are certainly things to work on especially in pass protection, but Booker was a mauler in the run game as expected and contributed greatly to the Cowboys’ success on the ground. If that’s what he’s giving Dallas as a rookie, I think the sky is the limit for his career and a Pro Bowl in year 2 is very much in play.
What veterans could be on the chopping block?
Marist Liufau’s position switch complicates things
I had Liufau out of my projection for the same reasons as Houston. There are too many edge rushers on this team. Liufau started his career at inside linebacker, but the Cowboys are training him as a pass rusher in 2026. Cowboys national scout Ross Wuensche recently said he believes Liufau has “a new life” and that “he’s going to be a really cool matchup piece for us.”
However, anytime you’re asked to change positions, it’s not usually a good sign for your roster chances. What Liufau does have going for him is that he ranked second on the team in special teams snaps, which could be valuable in the eyes of special teams coordinator Nick Sorensen. If the coaching staff likes him enough on defense while a coordinator sponsors him on special teams, Liufau could end up being a roster surprise. But in my projection, I had him out.
Training camp is just around the corner. Who are a few players who could surprise in Oxnard?
Offense – Phil Mafah
The running back room beyond Javonte Williams is not settled. The second RB spot is up for grabs, and Phil Mafah could be somebody who breaks through this training camp and separates himself as the best back behind Williams.
The second-year pro, who dealt with a nagging shoulder injury much of last season, is healthy and looking to make a sophomore jump. Mafah has the frame, at 6’0” 234 lbs., and running style, downhill and physical, that sets him apart from the rest of the backs on the roster. He could find a niche on this team moving the pile and in short-yardage situations, which is where he scored his first touchdown last season against the Giants, Week 18.
But that niche could just be the beginning for Mafah, as he continues to build on an offseason in which he’s put in extra work and stood out at OTAs. He has at least one believer in Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
“Phil Mafah looked good with his first-team reps, grabbing a touchdown in red zone work,” Harris reported for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “Mafah has specifically drawn a lot of praise for his work this offseason, with one source saying he is ‘night-and-day’ different from last year.”
Report cards.
Grade
A-
Dallas Cowboys
Standout moves:
Re-signing RB Javonte Williams, placing franchise tag on WR George Pickens
Trading for OLB Rashan Gary, LB Dee Winters
Drafting DB Caleb Downs, OLB Malachi Lawrence
Dallas heavily shuffled its defensive front this offseason, acquiring Gary and Winters, among others. The Cowboys focused mainly on defense in the draft, adding Downs at No. 11, Lawrence at No. 23 and three other defenders in the first four rounds. Considering their struggles on that side of the ball in recent years, it was the ideal approach.
Dallas also re-signed Williams on a team-friendly deal and franchise-tagged Pickens. A lack of upgrades on the offensive line is the only thing keeping the Cowboys from a perfect grade. As long as their defensive additions make an immediate impact, I think their 2026 offseason will position them to compete in a tough division once again.
Daily discussion question: What is the one part of the offseason that you can’t believe actually happened?
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