The 2026 NFL Draft is just a couple of months away. And as teams start lining up their priorities for next season, Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys naturally draw plenty of attention. Based on reports and the reality that Dallas’ defense was downright rough in 2025, many expect Jones to spend both of his first-round picks on that side of the ball. Still, circumstances suggest there could be a different path in play.

While several mock drafts lean heavily toward defense, others hint at a possible offensive swing early. According to CBS Sports’ mock draft, Jones could use the No. 12 overall pick on Notre Dame star Jeremiyah Love, if he’s still on the board. And despite Dallas’ defensive issues, Shane Taylor of Inside The Star believes that the projection isn’t exactly a stretch.

For starters, the Cowboys had one of the league’s more productive offenses in 2025, and there’s a clear incentive to carry that momentum into 2026. However, two key contributors are approaching free agency. We’re talking about wide receiver George Pickens and running back Javonte Williams. Letting Pickens walk feels unlikely after his breakout year. He hauled in 93 receptions for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns in the regular season.

But if Williams departs, the door opens for Dallas to think differently. From there, the logic starts to add up. Dak Prescott would obviously prefer continuity and firepower around him in 2026. Drafting Love at No. 12 would still leave Dallas with the No. 20 pick to address defense. If prospects like Caleb Downs or Mansoor Delane are gone by then, pivoting becomes even more realistic. And perhaps most importantly, Love is entering the draft off a highly efficient season.

The 20-year-old Fighting Irish star wrapped up his 2025 junior campaign as an AP First-Team All-American. In the process, he piled up 1,372 rushing yards on 6.9 yards per carry, 18 rushing touchdowns, and 1,652 all-purpose yards, along with an elite 93.9 PFF rushing grade. Given all of that, it’s easy to see why some believe Jones could flip the script and go offense early. Still, no matter how the draft shakes out, Dallas’ defensive problems won’t be solved by draft picks alone.

Jerry Jones’ $90 million decision fired back ahead of the offseason

A large part of Dallas’ 2025 season revolved around Micah Parsons and his looming contract situation. Eventually, Jerry Jones made the call to move the star pass rusher in a trade to the Green Bay Packers. The logic was fairly straightforward. Dallas simply didn’t appear willing, or able, to commit close to $40 million per year to one defensive player.

But not long after shipping Parsons out, Jones pivoted and handed cornerback DaRon Bland a massive extension, a move that has since drawn plenty of scrutiny. Bland inked a four-year, $92 million deal, including $50 million guaranteed and $36 million fully guaranteed at signing. With an average annual value of $22.5 million, the extension made him the sixth-highest-paid cornerback in NFL history.

And according to a recent report from CBS Sports, the deal now stands out for all the wrong reasons, ranking as the worst contract extension for a team. The reasoning behind that label isn’t particularly hard to follow. For one, Bland was coming off a less-than-ideal 2024 season. A left foot injury sidelined him for seven games. And even after returning in Week 12, the drop-off was noticeable, as he allowed a 108.9 passer rating in coverage. Fast forward to 2025, and things didn’t improve much.

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Bland appeared in just 12 games, recorded one interception, and surrendered a passer rating north of 112.2, numbers that hardly justify elite cornerback money. The situation looks even murkier once the salary cap enters the picture. Jones is expected to re-sign multiple key contributors this offseason. But Bland’s extension already has Dallas sitting at roughly $330 million in cap commitments, while the 2026 salary cap is projected to land between $295 and $305 million.

And if the Cowboys ultimately lean toward selecting an offensive player in the first round instead of targeting a top defensive prospect, the focus could shift toward fixing the defense through free agency. That approach, however, comes with its own complications. Dallas is entering the offseason with 22 expiring contracts, including 15 unrestricted free agents, making it far from easy to aggressively address defensive holes on the open market.

That challenge only grows when you factor in the sizeable deals looming for George Pickens, Javonte Williams, and Jadeveon Clowney, all of which could significantly limit the Cowboys’ financial flexibility. With that context, it becomes easier to understand why CBS labeled the deal so harshly. As the offseason unfolds, how Dallas navigates both sides of the ball and the cap sheet will be something worth watching closely.