The Dallas Cowboys have already made major offseason decisions after once again missing the playoffs. After the worst defensive performance, Jerry Jones has zeroed in on rebuilding the secondary. Dallas has already added seven defensive players via trades and free agency, while also making Brandon Aubrey the league’s highest-paid kicker. Now, with the 2026 NFL Draft approaching, the focus remains on defense. However, the door isn’t entirely closed on landing the class’s top offensive weapon, especially amid George Pickens’ contract situation.

“Let’s keep our eyes on Dallas, figuring out a way to get up the board for [Sonny] Styles or [Arvell] Reese, and let’s see which defensive hole they decide to fill… but I do think there’s some Jordyn Tyson love there again as well,” Adam Schefter said on his YouTube podcast.

With Tyson’s draft stock dropping because of injury concerns, we can’t completely rule out another surprising decision.

He has faced some tough challenges, like tearing knee ligaments multiple times in 2022, then breaking his collarbone in 2024, and dealing with ongoing hamstring issues. Because of this, he missed workouts at the NFL Combine, which meant all the pressure was going to be on him at a private workout organised on April 17. According to NFL Insider Jordan Schulz, 20 teams attended the workout, with the Cowboys being one of them.

The need of the hour at this point is definitely the team’s defense. And there’s been a lot of talk about the franchise trying to trade up for a top defender. Having two first-round picks means they could facilitate a move to do that. However, Jones had made some daring moves in the past, especially when CeeDee Lamb unexpectedly became available in 2020.

The Cowboys got him at the 17th pick after he unexpectedly slid down the board. When the Cowboys went on the clock, they had a choice between Lamb and LSU edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson, who filled a much larger defensive hole. But Jones selected the highest graded Lamb. There were concerns that a “three-headed monster” at receiver would create a logjam for targets. But contrary to that, Lamb went on to become a star in the franchise.

But with Tyson, it’s not the same scenario. Sure, he is considered to be a top pick, but his draft board is quite polarizing due to his significant history of injuries. Tyson has only been on the field for 24 out of 38 possible games during his time at Arizona State. Apart from that, the Cowboys must use their best draft picks on the defense this year if they want any hope of rebounding.

Most likely, their No.12 pick will be about a defensive star. But maybe if Tyson is still available at No. 20 overall, the Cowboys could target him there? Honestly, Tyson’s skill might force them to go for him as a pick. Last season, he caught 61 passes for 711 yards and scored eight touchdowns in just nine games. The year before, he had an even better season with 75 receptions, 1,101 yards, and 10 touchdowns.

The roster already features CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, and Ryan Flournoy, which makes the receiver room look solid on paper. The only way the Cowboys can justify choosing Tyson is if they trade Pickens, but even that wouldn’t be enough. Then again, with uncertainty around Pickens’ long-term future, they could look to add another WR.

George Pickens’ contract standoff continues with the Cowboys

George Pickens joined the Dallas Cowboys before the 2025 season and had a breakout year. But when he hit free agency, the team decided to use the franchise tag on him to maintain control while they worked on a long-term contract. This choice has now resulted in a contract standoff. With all this happening, Pickens shared a glimpse into his mindset for the upcoming season.

“But definitely year five gonna be another movie,” Pickens said in an Instagram video a few weeks ago. He also captioned the post with “5e année,” pointing to his fifth year.

Pickens put up great numbers, recording 93 catches for 1,429 yards and scoring nine touchdowns, averaging 15.4 yards per catch. At just 25 years old, he ranked third in receiving yards and eighth in catches, and he also received an impressive 85.9 grade from PFF. His brilliant performances helped him make it to his first Pro Bowl team, and he was also named to the Second-Team All-Pro.

The Cowboys developed a powerful offense that came in second for total yards and seventh for points scored. They racked up 4,735 passing yards and added 2,136 rushing yards. However, even with all that talent, America’s Team finished with a 7-9-1 record because its defense struggled big time, preventing it from making it to the playoffs. The Cowboys will be hoping to move on from that disappointing run and focus on making strong offseason moves.

They have already added the likes of Quinnen Williams and Rashan Gary, but with eight picks in the draft, the Cowboys will be looking to add more talent to their roster. Tyson is certainly a name to watch out for, but they also have another first-round pick, and they could use that to address their defensive issues.