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Who’s In, Who’s Out: The 2026 Overhaul of the Cowboys’ Secondary
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Who’s In, Who’s Out: The 2026 Overhaul of the Cowboys’ Secondary

Originally posted on Inside The Star  |  By Mark Heaney  |  Last updated Nov 1, 2025 3:21 PM ET

The Dallas faithful should be prepared for a major overhaul of their defense this offseason. We will likely see new faces at every level of the unit, but especially in the Cowboys’ secondary.

It’s arguably been the defense’s weakest unit this year, as the group’s two cornerstones, DaRon Bland and Trevon Diggs, have either struggled to stay healthy or failed to make their expected high-level impact when on the field.

At cornerback, when you look past those two big names and injured rookie Shavon Revel, it is a wide-ranging collection of little-known, borderline NFL players.

The picture at safety isn’t much brighter. Despite their experience, veterans Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson, who will be 30 and 31 by the start of 2026, represent two positions that need a full-scale reset.

It will be the end of the road in Dallas for a number of these guys, so let’s look over who should stay and who should go in the Cowboys’ secondary this offseason.

Cornerback Shakeup: Former All-Pro, Low-Cost Depth Pieces Out Of Town

Who Stays: Caelen Carson, DaRon Bland, Shavon Revel.

Who Leaves: Josh Butler, Trevon Diggs, Trikweze Bridges, Kaiir Elam, Reddy Stewart.

The group that should stay in Dallas is minimal, and for good reason.

Of course, the recently-extended Bland will be back in 2026 as the clear-cut CB1; his new $90M+ price tag cements that. He is joined by two young corners in 2024 draftee Caelen Carson and Revel.

Carson, a star at Wake Forest, has yet to show the same skills in the NFL, though you could argue that has had more to do with injuries. Either way, Dallas won’t move on from him so quickly with their massive weakness at the position.

Revel is just as obvious as Bland in the keep department: he is young, carries sky-high potential, and was a big investment with the 76th pick.

On the leave list, we have an extensive group, headlined by Diggs.

The former DPOY candidate is all but done in Dallas; his injuries, performance, and issues with the organization have made that fact very clear. It will also save money to cut him this offseason.

Aside from Diggs, guys like Josh Butler, Trikweze Bridges, Kaiir Elam, and Reddy Steward all need to go on the account of them not being very good.

You always need depth at cornerback, but we’ve either seen enough of the guys in this group or will in due time as guys like Butler near the 30-year-old mark.

Safety Rebuild: Youth Movement On The Last Line Of Defense

Who Stays: Juanyeh Thomas.

Who Leaves: Alijah Clark, Donovan Wilson, Malik Hooker, Markquese Bell.

If Juanyeh Thomas is the only returning safety in 2026, the front office deserves a round of applause.

The 25-year-old former UDFA has been with the Cowboys since 2022, and he continuously proves that he has the right attitude and impact to stick around. He needs more snaps, and more time with the organization.

Beyond Thomas, guys like Alijah Clark, Wilson, Hooker, and Markquese Bell all need to find new homes to play in 2026.

Clark, 22, is an undrafted free agent who simply isn’t showing enough to warrant a return, while the two aging veterans and Bell have all shown more than enough, but not in a positive way.

We have seen this trio in Dallas for years: combined, they’ve played nearly 200 career regular-season games for the organization. For Hooker and Wilson, it’s just time, as their ability to impact the defense has gone down with age.

Bell, on the other hand, is only 26 and received an extension in March. The problem with him is that he has never become the player they hoped he would.

As you can see, the Cowboys’ secondary needs a massive revamp, and it can’t come soon enough.

This article first appeared on Inside The Star and was syndicated with permission.

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