3 things to watch for at Dallas Cowboys OTAs, from the biggest mystery on the roster to decision with All-Pro implications
The Dallas Cowboys are kicking off OTAs next Monday. Here are the three biggest storylines you must be following as they hit the practice field.
The Dallas Cowboys open OTAs on June 1, and while pads won’t be on and position battles won’t truly be settled, there’s plenty to learn from alignments, snap counts, and first-team reps.
From the linebacker mystery to a big Caleb Downs-related question to Tyler Smith’s practice snap counts, here are the three biggest questions facing Dallas heading into organized team activities. Let’s dive in.
The biggest mystery on the roster: middle linebacker
I’m not going to lie to you. You can ask a question about every linebacker on the Cowboys roster right now and not get a clean answer. But the real mystery is at middle linebacker, or “Mike.”
Weakside linebacker? Cowboys fans shouldn’t be worried. DeMarvion Overshown is out of his brace, finished the season after returning from injury, and should be a standout at Will. The question is who lines up next to him.
Dee Winters, acquired via trade during the NFL Draft, has spent his career as a weakside linebacker at TCU and with the San Francisco 49ers. Overshown himself noted a couple of weeks ago that he and Winters play a similar style, both “run and hit” linebackers. Winters isn’t a true Mike, though he has the tools to potentially transition there. And maybe that’s exactly what Dallas is banking on.
Then there’s third-round rookie Jaishawn Barham, who worked at Mike during rookie minicamp. Could a third-rounder emerge as an early starter? It would be a surprise, but I wouldn’t rule it out.
And then there’s the forgotten man: Shemar James. The second-year linebacker and former fifth-round pick struggled in 2025—missed tackles, poor positioning, getting washed by opposing offensive linemen. But here’s the thing about James: he was never supposed to be a year-one starter.
He ended up leading the Cowboys in tackles with 91 while playing roughly 50% of defensive snaps. That alone tells you everything about where Dallas stood at linebacker last season.
James was always about upside, though. His athleticism, his speed, the flashes where he teleported from one side of the field to the other. Judging him harshly for 544 defensive snaps he never should have been asked to play feels unfair.
What I want to see in OTAs: Who is taking first-team reps at Mike? Is Winters only playing Will? Is Barham moving around? And what does new defensive coordinator Christian Parker’s staff think of James? We knew what Matt Eberflus and company thought. We don’t yet know Parker’s evaluation.
Who else plays nickel besides Caleb Downs?
The Cowboys have been clear: first-round rookie Caleb Downs will start at nickel. That’s not the full vision, though. That’s just the starting point.
Here’s my concern. If Downs spends the entirety of his rookie season in the slot, Dallas will be wasting part of what makes him so special. To tap into his full potential, the Cowboys need him at free safety, near the box as a strong safety type, and everywhere in between. His tape demands versatility.
Now, I say that with a grain of salt. Nick Emmanwori played big nickel almost exclusively for the Seattle Seahawks last season, and it paid off. Maybe Downs follows a similar path. But to move Downs around successfully, Dallas needs another capable nickel option. Otherwise, you end up with Downs at safety and a mediocre player covering the slot (where the NFL’s best wide receivers spend most of their time).
What I want to see in OTAs: So who takes those extra nickel reps? Cobie Durant, who signed a $5 million deal and may start outside at corner? Reddy Steward, the nickel backup who started at times in 2025 and was one of the few bright spots from Eberflus’ tenure? Or maybe safety Jalen Thompson? I want OTAs to answer that question.
Tyler Smith at left tackle: Is the door still open?
This one carries All-Pro implications.
Plan A for Dallas is clear: Tyler Guyton plays left tackle, and Smith stays at guard, where he earned All-Pro honors. However, if you listen closely to what the Cowboys have said this offseason, they have yet to rule out Smith sliding to tackle.
Smith himself addressed it last year when asked about switching positions. His response was essentially: “I’m an All-Pro guard.”
He also mentioned looking forward to meeting with coach Brian Schottenheimer to discuss his role and since then, neither party has shut the door on the possibility of moving around. There are financial implications, too. Tackles make more money than guards.
Here’s my hypothesis: the Cowboys want Guyton to develop at left tackle, but Plan B remains in place. If Guyton doesn’t take the necessary steps and struggles early in the season, Smith slides outside and TJ Bass takes over at left guard.
What I want to see in OTAs: One way to confirm or deny this? If the Cowboys get through OTAs and mandatory minicamp with Smith playing zero snaps at tackle, that door is probably closed. But if he spends even a little time outside, Plan B is alive.
For now, we wait.