The Biggest Mistake Dallas Cowboys Can't Afford to Make This Training Camp

The Dallas Cowboys are treading their way through training camp in Oxnard ahead of the 2026 season. As the calendar turns to August, the offseason is in the rearview, and the team's new players are finally getting the chance to wear the star on their helmet.

However, Dallas has already found itself making more headlines on the trade front once again despite swinging multiple deals to acquire new talent during the spring.

Stephen Jones has admitted that the Cowboys are open to making moves in order to further improve a defense that added a ton of new faces this offseason.

But talk can often be cheap in the NFL. If the Cowboys truly feel the need to make a move, it's better to do so now until a few weeks into the season when losses could already be piling up.

Cowboys Can't Ignore Chances to Improve Defense Before Week 1

Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker with head coach Brian Schottenheimer at training camp at River Ridge Playing Fields. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Dallas can't afford to overlook any opportunities to improve the defense, even if that means making a move during training camp. Any sort of shortcoming the coaching staff can pinpoint on that side of the ball shouldn't be taken with a grain of salt.

The Cowboys know that the defense can't risk starting out the season on the wrong note, or it could lead to a similar result last year where Dallas found itself chasing a playoff spot before it was too late.

Instead of waiting until the trade deadline like last season when they landed defensive tackle Quinnen Williams from the New York Jets, it might benefit the Cowboys to stop a bleeding noise before it gets too messy.

Many fans will point to a potential blockbuster deal with the Las Vegas Raiders for star edge rusher Maxx Crosby as a move that Dallas can't risk passing up, but the Cowboys could be better off making a move in the secondary if the new additions of Cobie Durant, Jalen Thompson and PJ Locke don't work out as the front office had hoped, or worse, injuries start to pile up in the back end.

Cowboys fans also have their concerns about the output from safety Malik Hooker and cornerback DaRon Bland. Though Bland has historical production on his resume, making him the feature piece of a big trade can't be ruled out, even with the four-year, $90 million contract extension he signed last August.

Dallas will be cutting the roster down to 53 players in a few weeks time anyways, so it's best to make any necessary additions around the time final cuts are made so that the coaching staff knows exactly what it's working with headed into Week 1 against the New York Giants.

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