Cowboys Trade Up for Elite Safety Caleb Downs

0:00On April 24th, the Dallas Cowboys shook things up in the 2026 NFL draft by trading up one spot from 12th to 11th overall with the Miami Dolphins. They gave up two fifth round picks to snaggle how state safety, Caleb Downs, skipping bigger jumps to spots like 6th or 3rd. This move fits their plan to rebuild the secondary from the ground up, pairing Downs with their new free agent, Jalen Thompson, for what looks like. Their strongest safety tandem in years. Fans and analysts are buzzing with an A-plus grade on the pick, saying Downs brings elite football smarts and communication skills that could fix last. Season's coverage chaos. His versatility lets him play deep in the box or as a nickel, boosting the whole defense. It's a break from Jerry Jones' tradition too, marking the first safety drafted since Roy Williams back in 2002, and they're backing it with. $11 million a year for Thompson, under defensive coordinator Christian Parker. Now the Cowboys sit at 20th overall, eyeing another defender to keep stacking that unit strong.