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FRISCO, Texas — It's the time of the offseason when the rubber begins meeting the road for the Dallas Cowboys. The biggest waves of free agency and the drama of the 2026 NFL Draft are now both in the rear view mirror, and the page now turns to OTAs, minicamp and the heated position battles awaiting players in training camp.
But before they turn the page to begin OTAs in early June, let's take a moment to dive into several key players on the current roster who either have plenty to prove, or have already proven plenty and are seeking the validation of a Super Bowl trophy.
Introducing the brand-new series "3 Points", and it continues with safety Jalen Thompson.
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Caleb Downs enters as the headline defensive acquisition by the Cowboys this offseason, but Jalen Thompson is one of the most important additions in free agency ahead of the NFL Draft that sent Downs to Dallas. Thompson provides a veteran presence but at the age of 27, an exceptional mix of youth and experience. After all, this is a player with 99 regular season games under his belt already, including 87 starts in his career and 74 starts over the last five regular seasons — also proving his durability and availability are never in question.
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The ability to be one of the younger mentors on the roster for Christian Parker, having also reunited with former Cardinals' assistant coach Ryan Smith in Dallas, is just one attribute Thompson brings to the table. He's also one of the most disruptive safeties in the NFL, as many wide receivers can willingly attest. Thompson has 37 pass break ups in his career, evidence of his ability to diagnose, react and disrupt at the catch point. He'd like to up his interception tally, starting with his tenure in Dallas, but he was signed to a multi-year deal for a reason.
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Another of those reasons is the fact Thompson has an uncanny football IQ, so much so that there's been discussion of him potentially taking on the green dot duties for Parker. That's because Thompson not only knows his own assignments and keys, but that of everyone else on defense as well. What can also not be dismissed is the fact Thompson can play three different defensive back positions — strong safety, free safety and nickel corner — on-demand and at a high level. That makes him one of Parker's favorite weapons, and one hell of a tag-team partner for Caleb Downs in the defensive backfield.
