The Cowboys finally made the kind of defensive move Jerry Jones hinted at, landing Rashan Gary from Green Bay for a reported 2027 fourth-round pick. Gary doesn’t turn 29 till December, made the Pro Bowl in 2024, posted 7.5 sacks, 20 quarterback hits, seven tackles for loss, and a forced fumble in 2025, and brings 46.5 career sacks to Dallas. Just as important, new defensive coordinator Christian Parker already knows him from their Green Bay overlap, which should help the transition.
The first question is whether Dallas still has a major defensive end problem today, and the answer is no. Before this trade, the Cowboys roster projection built from players under contract featured Donovan Ezeiruaku and James Houston as the only returning edge players with real experience at the spot, and it was clear the room needed a major addition. Gary changes that immediately. He gives Dallas a legitimate top-line veteran instead of asking a rookie, a reclamation project, or a position convert to upgrade the pass rush.
Advertisement
But if the question is whether the Cowboys can now cross edge rusher off the draft board, that answer is also no. Gary’s arrival does not take Dallas out of the pass-rushing market, and EDGE lines up well with the strength of the 2026 draft class. That is the perfect lens for Dallas. Gary solves the immediate need for a proven starter, but he does not solve the longer-term need for depth, and another young rusher, preferably with a high ceiling, that develops alongside him.
That is especially true because Gary is more stabilizer than miracle cure. He opened 2025 with 7.5 sacks in Green Bay’s first seven games, then went sackless the rest of the season despite playing all 17 games, and his defensive snap share was 58.3 percent. He is a good player, and at his best a disruptive one, but this move should not be treated like Dallas found its next DeMarcus Ware. It should be treated as Dallas raising the floor of the edge room and giving Christian Parker a real piece to build around.
The Cowboys no longer have to force an edge rusher pick out of desperation, but they should absolutely still draft one if the board presents value. Gary changes the conversation from Dallas finding a must starter to Dallas adding the right young pass rusher. That is a far better place to be heading into the draft. The trade resolves the crisis, it does not end the search.