The Dallas Cowboys sent a clear message to start the NFL offseason when they fired defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus and hired Philadelphia Eagles passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach Christian Parker to take over the unit.

Dallas filled the defensive staff with young, up-and-coming coaches around the league and let everyone know that an overhaul of the roster and a new scheme is coming to Big D.

With free agency around the corner and draft season heating up with the start of the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, there is no question what the front office plans to do to spark a bounce-back season in 2026.

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When discussing how Dallas will approach the offseason and improve the roster through free agency and the NFL draft, Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones confirmed that the team has one main focus.

“We want to fix this defense,” Jones told reporters. “And we feel really good about the offensive side of the ball, now that we got Javonte (Williams) done, and we know that we’ll have George (Pickens) back.

“So we feel really good about that side of the ball. I think this is obvious, we’ve spent a lot of time on it already in the offseason, revamping the defensive coaching staff, and now we’ll take the next steps, which are to improve the personnel on that side of the ball.”

If the Cowboys are serious about improving on defense, it will be exciting to see what improvements the team decides to make.

After the disastrous 2025 campaign, it is clear that the team is in desperate need of the focus that the front office is committing to. Let’s just hope that it pays off.

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Dallas Cowboys’ 2025 defensive rankings

Total Defense: The Dallas Cowboys ranked No. 30 in the league in total defense, allowing 377 total yards per game, including what is, unfortunately, a league-high 60 touchdowns.

Pass Defense: The Dallas Cowboys ranked dead last in the NFL in passing defense, No. 32, allowing 251.5 yards per game and 35 passing touchdowns, ranking as the second-most behind the New York Jets, who failed to get an interception in 2025.

Rush Defense: The Dallas Cowboys ranked No. 23 in the league, allowing 125.5 yards per game and a league-high 24 rushing touchdowns.

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For the first time since 1980, the United States secured an Olympic gold medal in men’s hockey on Sunday.

Throughout the 2026 Olympic tournament, the U.S. was propelled by brothers Jack and Quinn Hughes. Quinn provided a game-winning overtime goal as the U.S. defeated Sweden in the quarterfinals, while Jack provided the winning goal in the U.S.-Canada gold medal matchup.

As the Hughes brothers earned praise, several hockey fans pointed out how their mother has connections to North Texas. Ellen Weinberg-Hughes grew up in Dallas, forming part of the legendary 1984 Dallas Sting Soccer Club.

Here are five things to know about Weinberg-Hughes:

She was a multi-sport star growing up in Dallas

Weinberg-Hughes played hockey and soccer throughout her childhood in Dallas. In 1981, 12-year-old Weinberg-Hughes was featured in a news story from KXAS-TV (NBC5) as she suited up for her Dallas youth hockey team.

One of her hockey team’s coaches was her father, Dr. Warren A. Weinberg. In the interview, Weinberg-Hughes shared her goal to play hockey at the professional level.

“It’s just a goal I want to reach,” Weinberg-Hughes said.

She was also a standout at soccer. More on that below…

She made history with the Dallas Sting Soccer Club

Weinberg-Hughes played for the Dallas Sting Soccer Club in the 1980s. She was part of the team that captured worldwide attention in 1984 when it won the first FIFA-sanctioned world women’s tournament in Xi’an, China.

That tournament played a key role in the development of the first women’s World Cup, which took place in 1991. Weinberg-Hughes can be seen in the Sting team photo below.

Weinberg-Hughes told NBC earlier this year that her best friend on the Sting Soccer Club was Carla Overbeck.

(Read more about the historic Sting Soccer Club here.)

Hockey has been a constant in her life

Weinberg-Hughes continued to play multiple sports when she suited up at the University of New Hampshire from 1988-91. She ultimately played for the United States’ women hockey team, earning a silver medal at the 1992 IIHF Women’s World Championship in Finland.

Her husband, Jim, was also a hockey player who previously held a front-office role with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

She celebrated multiple gold medals this winter

Weinberg-Hughes was pretty busy throughout the Milan Cortina Olympic Games. According to NBC, she served as a player development consultant for the U.S. women’s hockey team this winter.

That means Weinberg-Hughes got to celebrate the U.S. women’s gold medal a few days before her sons Jack and Quinn led the U.S. men’s team to victory.

The U.S. women defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime Thursday, while the U.S. men defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime Sunday.

Find more Stars coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.

NFL draft season is rapidly approaching, and with the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis set to begin this week, we will get an idea of who the Dallas Cowboys could have on their radar.

With new defensive coordinator Christian Parker at the helm, the belief is that the Cowboys will be looking to add talent on defense early and often when the 2026 draft rolls around.

A new mock draft from NFL.com’s Gennaro Filice does just that.

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The Cowboys double-dip on defense to add some much needed reinforcements to the defense, which hopes to take a major step forward in 2026.

After addressing the secondary with a true lockdown corner, the Cowboys shift their attention to the defensive front where they add a dynamic pass rusher opposite Donovan Ezeiruaku.

The 2026 NFL Draft will be held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from Thursday, April 23, through Saturday, April 25.

A closer look at NFL.com’s latest first-round projections for the Cowboys can be seen below.

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Pick No. 12: Mansoor Delane, cornerback, LSU

It is no secret that the Cowboys’ league-worst pass defense needs help, and Delane is exactly what the doctor ordered for Parker’s secondary.

“Smooth, sticky, and savvy in coverage, Delane’s a no-brainer pick for the team that just fielded the league’s worst pass defense. While the Cowboys allowed 251.1 passing yards per game, Delane gave up 163 on the season,” Filice wrote.

“That figure comes courtesy of PFF, who also credited the LSU cover man with the lowest passer rating allowed in coverage last year at 31.3. Friendly reminder: 39.6 is the passer rating of the hypothetical quarterback who spikes the ball every play.”

This season, Delane, who transferred to LSU from Virginia Tech, has recorded 45 total tackles, two interceptions, and a career-high passes defensed.

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Pick No. 20 (via Packers): Akheem Messidor, edge, Miami

Mesidor began his six-year college career at West Virginia before transferring to Miami in 2020. In his final season, Mesidor had a breakout season with 63 total tackles, 17.5 tackles for a loss, 12.5 sacks, and four forced fumbles.

“After trading Micah Parsons last August, the Cowboys could lose Jadeveon Clowney, Dante Fowler Jr. and Sam Williams in free agency. Donovan Ezeiruaku, last year’s second-round pick, flashed a well-rounded game in Year 1, but he needs some help on the edge,” Filice wrote.

“Mesidor might be gone by the time Dallas goes on the clock at No. 20, but the Miami product’s advanced age (turns 25 in April) could push him down the board. On the plus side, he might have the most advanced pass-rushing arsenal in this draft after six seasons (and 52 starts) at the college level.”

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