FRISCO, Texas - Football season is getting closer and closer.
The Cowboys are set to depart for training camp in less a month. That's when we'll get an up-close look at Brian Schottenheimer's second season with this revised roster and coaching staff. When we get to Oxnard, that's when we'll start to get some real answers about this 2026 Cowboys team.
But what are the questions? We've compiled our annual list of pressing questions that need answers heading into the regular season. The staff writers, consisting of Patrik Walker, Tommy Yarrish, Nick Eatman, Mickey Spagnola and Kurt Daniels, weigh in on some of the pressing issues.
Today, we'll continue the series with a look at safety Caleb Downs, and what to expect from the rookie in 2026.
No.5) How does Caleb Downs live up to expectations?
Tommy: By having a noticeable impact on the defense when he's on the field. I know, you really can't get more broad than that, but I'm not going to say he needs to be a Pro Bowler or an All-Pro in his rookie season. He doesn't have to be. Would it be nice? Sure, but there are enough veterans on this defense to be able to help out around him as he gets his rookie season underway.
Usually with defensive backs, the less you hear their name being called, the better the game they're having. You certainly want that to be the case with Downs, but you also want to hear his name over the plays that everyone saw he can make while on the field at Ohio State. That's what I mean by having a noticeable impact on the defense, and you're welcome to define that however you want in your own personal expectations for Downs.
Downs' ceiling in this defense with Christian Parker is sky high. It seems like the two are almost replicas of one another when it comes to how they view and approach the game of football. I feel that'll play a big part on Downs' success early in his career. Will it be evident in Week 1? Maybe, maybe not, but Downs lives up to his first year expectations by being a plus player for this defense, because it's a unit in need of a lot of plus players.
Patrik: Living up to the status of being a first-round pick will always be a challenge, and especially if a team traded up in the top-15 to make sure they acquired you. Such is the case for Downs, but I don't believe he'll have much of an issue living up to his draft status, even if it takes a couple years. I won't apply undue pressure in claiming he'll somehow instantly be an All-Pro defensive back in Year 1, but I believe you'll see plenty of flashes of that in his game. Downs feels different, in every way, in the last several weeks I've had to study his work ethic and demeanor.
He's already, almost instantly, become a locker room leader and that's a large part of what he'll be accountable for, so go ahead and check that box. What happens on the field will tell the full tale of what he can be in a Cowboys' uniform, though. Do I expect Downs to be one of the MVPs of training camp, as a rookie? Yes, I actually do. I can easily see him making a list of plays that drop a few jaws, and his passion in-between the lines will be on full display as well. So, how does he live up to the mountain of expectations? By not staring at the mountain, and instead keep his eyes on the playbook and the next play — the rest will handle itself.
Mickey: My guess is, probably very well. Think about this rookie's football career. He first attended Alabama, after also being recruited by the likes of Clemson, Georgia, Notre Dame and Ohio State. All Downs did was play in all 14 games, finishing with 107 tackles, 3½ sacks and two interceptions, enough to be named the SEC Freshman of the Year and the first Alabama freshman to lead the team in tackles.
Then after Nick Saban retires, Downs transfers to Ohio State, considered the No. 1 portal transfer candidate and becomes a two-time unanimous All-America selection, not to mention a team captain. There were great expectations at both of those stops, and Downs handled all those just fine. No reason to believe Downs will struggle transitioning into the NFL with similar expectations. And the Cowboys certainly did not hold back during the offseason workouts, immediately putting him in the slot on the nickel defense, but also training him as a deep safety, too. Maybe the question should be "when" not "how."
