We are now more than a quarter of the way through the 2026 season and it's quite clear change is desperately needed on the defensive side of the ball for the Dallas Cowboys.
There are issues at every single level of the Cowboys' defense, but some of those issues will just have to work themselves out.
For example, the Cowboys aren't going to fire Christian Parker, so he just has to get better. Also, the Cowboys aren't going to bench disappointing players like Rashan Gary and Quinnen Williams, so they've got to fix themselves, too.
But there are clear changes the Cowboys can and should make for their Week 6 game against the Green Bay Packers. Here's four we'd suggest.
Bench DaRon Bland for literally anyone
DaRon Bland is one of the worst cornerbacks in the NFL, full stop. Through five games this season, he's giving up completions on 72.4% of the passes thrown his way for 284 yards and two touchdowns, and he sports a passer rating of 126.2.
Pro Football Focus has him clocked with a 45.0 coverage grade and only 11 qualified cornerbacks in the league have a worse mark.
And even after all that, we're not sure those numbers do justice just how bad he has been. A total liability in every sense of the word. For a defense struggling as badly as this one is, the Cowboys cannot keep running him out there.
If Cobie Durant is back this week, he should be getting at least the vast majority of snaps opposite Joey Porter Jr. If Durant is not back, Ameer Speed and/or Shavon Revel will do just fine. The former has been playing good football in particular of late.
Whoever, the Cowboys utilize, they have to be better than what Bland has put on tape in 2026.
More Malachi Lawrence, less Von Miller
Malachi Lawrence did something in Week 5 that Von Miller apparently can't anymore: Lawrence recorded a sack.
Over five games, myself and Miller have the same number of sacks, although to give him credit, Miller does have six more pressures.
What's worse with Miller was that he routinely failed to set the edge against the run in Week 5, which only adds fuel to the fire that he shouldn't be playing much, or at all.
Miller saw a season-low 10 snaps on Thursday night. We would not mind giving those 10 snaps to the rookie, who has shown improvement as a run defender the past two weeks.
Back to the slot for Caleb Downs
Downs has only played eight snaps in the slot combined the past two weeks, and it's understandable why given the injuries at safety.
But the Cowboys need to figure out that position another way and let Downs move back to the slot. Reddy Steward just has not been sufficient and Dallas needs someone better in the short-to-intermediate areas of the field.
Adding to that, Downs' skills as a blitzer and run defender are added benefits of having him playing closer to the line of scrimmage.
More blitzing
According to Sharp Football Analysis, the Cowboys have a blitz rate of 24.4% this season, the12th-lowest in the NFL. There is clearly room to dial up more blitzes moving forward.
The Cowboys have to figure out a way to account for their putrid coverage, and the best way to do that is to sack the quarterback, or at least get more pressure.
Dallas ranks 30th in pass-rush win rate (42%), according to ESPN, and we know they haven't been able to finish their pressures with sacks, so that's something that needs to change.
But Christian Parker can at least try and increase the chances of getting more pressures and sacks by sending more guys after the quarterback. At this point, he has nothing to lose because having more guys in coverage clearly isn't helping.
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