Cowboys Lock In Rookie Safety Caleb Downs

0:00On May 1st, the Dallas Cowboys just locked in Caleb Downs, their 11th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. This 21-year-old safety came out of Alabama and Ohio State with a rep as a do-it-all defender who covers receivers, stuffs the run, and fits. Anywhere in the secondary. Earlier this week, they finalized his rookie deal, which includes assigning bonus and standard terms like a base salary plus a fifth year option down. The line. That clears him to dive right into off-season workouts and mini-camp without any hold-ups. Cowboys fans are buzzing because the defense got torched last year, giving up a league worst 30.1 points per game. Everyone's hoping Downs steps up big as a rookie to shore up that leaky back end. Coaches see him as more than a project. They want him starting week one, playing safety and coverage, and against the run to make the unit way more. Versatile. His skill set matches their push for quick fixes. With this move, Dallas gains some cost control and flexibility heading into a rebuild on D, setting the state for a tougher squad when the season kicks off.