FRISCO, Texas – With the 2025 regular season now behind the Cowboys, it's time to look ahead to 2026, where they'll try to get back into the playoffs for the first time since 2023.
As they begin to do so, our "What's Next" series will examine each position on the roster and look at the past, present and future of the room and the players within it. We'll continue the series with the cornerbacks:
Past: One of the most highly-regarded positions in all of football is also one that has a wonderfully rich history within the Cowboys' organization. In yesteryear, it was players like Cornell Green, Her Adderley and Mel Renfro setting the tone in the secondary. They were incomparable, and set the stage for all those who came after them, namely, Everson Walls and, of course, Deion "Primetime" Sanders a.k.a. Neon Deion.
And for as much as there is a list of unforgettables, there are those who are often overlooked but who, in their time in Dallas, were some of the best in the league, names like Kevin Smith and Terence Newman immediately coming to mind, as well as, more recently, the record-setting run by Trevon Diggs in the early 2020s. This type of legacy made it very unsettling to see just how unsettled the position was in 2025.
Present: Where to begin here? Let's start by pointing out the elephant in the room: Diggs is no longer a Cowboy. That statement seemed an unfathomable one only one year ago, but more bouts with injury mixed in with a contentious relationship with the front office and Matt Eberflus led to his release this past season — marking a new age at cornerback in Dallas, but one that doesn't have a face yet.
DaRon Bland ended the season on injured reserve with another injury to his foot that required surgery to repair, and rookie third-round pick Shavon Revel never found his groove in his return from injury. Reddy Steward was a welcome surprise at nickel corner, but Caelen Carson was unable to consistently show his ability after being shelved following a career outing in Las Vegas. In other words, there's a lot to sort through for 2026.
Future: Bland's foot is something to keep an eye on going forward, especially without Diggs in the picture anymore. Should he miss any amount of time, the Cowboys will have to hope Revel having a full offseason of health will put him in prime form, Carson will develop into what he was at Wake Forest when he earned the name "Seat Belt", and that Josh Butler (who nearly missed the entire 2025 season waiting to return from injury) and Trikweze Bridges are the/an answer.
More likely, however, one of the solutions isn't in the building yet. The cornerback position appears to need the assistance of free agency or the 2026 NFL Draft, if not both. Carson is entering Year 3, which means a decision on his future looms large, and there's only one player that can be pointed to in the CB room as "that guy", and only if he can keep both of his wheels rolling along without anymore issues.
