Von Miller's Endorsement For Caleb Downs Should Have Dallas Cowboys Excited

The Dallas Cowboys recently chose their captains based on player vote, and while first-round pick and defensive back Caleb Downs wasn't among them, veteran edge rusher Von Miller thought he should be.

Ultimately, the Cowboys settled on four captains, quarterback Dak Prescott, defensive linemen Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark, and kicker Brandon Aubrey.

Miller admitted on "The Cowboys Hour" that he voted for Downs as a bonus captain for the 2026 season.

"I actually voted for Caleb Downs to be our bonus captain," Miller said. "I felt like he can do it. I felt like he's a natural born leader. Went to (Ohio) State, played in a lot of big games, plays big."

"The moment is never too big for him and when you got guys like that all over the roster, they can't help but lead you to success," he added. "You just got to stay healthy, play as a unit."

A sign Caleb Downs is the total package

Dallas Cowboys safety Caleb Downs. — Dallas Cowboys safety Caleb Downs (13) at training camp at River Ridge Playing Fields. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Coming from a self-proclaimed Hall of Fame teammate, notorious leader and great locker room guy, that is quite the endorsement for Downs, and it's one the Cowboys should be excited about.

It's one thing to be a great player, which Downs is pretty much universally expected to be, but being a great leader, also, is not something that automatically comes with elite skill.

A player can have all the talent in the world but isn't truly the total package until that leadership box is checked off. It would appear, at least early on, that Downs will check that box during his career.

Expectations for Caleb Downs in 2026

As the Cowboys' first unofficial depth chart of the 2026 regular season confirmed, Downs is going to be the primary slot cornerback for Dallas in 2026.

That is an important role in and of itself, but it's especially crucial in Dallas after the Cowboys struggled to replace Jourdan Lewis in 2025, which prompted a clear focus on the nickel spot.

"Our planning and discussion really focused in on either a corner or a safety that could get in the nickel," owner Jerry Jones said after drafting Downs. "And he easily was the most obvious one that could get in the nickel for us."

The question is: how much does Downs play safety?

Throughout the offseason, the Cowboys typically went with a combo of Malik Hooker and Jalen Thompson in base defense during practices, and the first unofficial depth chart made the position more interesting by listing Hooker or P.J. Locke in the starting spot.

However, we did see Downs play safety during the offseason, and ESPN's Dan Graziano has noted how the Cowboys "believe they can use Downs in a ton of different ways" and think Downs and Thompson "are interchangeable in the safety and nickel role."

"Downs got a lot of work at nickel during camp, and Dallas has faith in his ability to play deep safety," Graziano added.

So, long story short: Downs will probably play mostly nickel, but expect to see him all over the field as a true chess piece in defensive coordinator Christian Parker's unit.

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