Story perspectives

Cowboys Trade Up for Safety Downs, Add Edge Rusher Lawrence

4/25/2026

Summary

Cowboys Draft

Dallas Cowboys drafted safety Caleb Downs No. 11 and edge rusher Malachi Lawrence No. 23 in 2026.
They gave Miami Dolphins the 12th pick plus compensatory fifth-round picks No. 177 and No. 180 to acquire Downs.
They sent the No. 20 pick to Philadelphia for the No. 23 pick and fourth-round picks No. 114 and No. 137.
Defensive coordinator Christian Parker expects Downs to start at nickel and Lawrence to add depth behind Rashan Gary and Donovan Ezeiruaku.

Summary

Caleb Downs Signed

Caleb Downs signed a four-year, fully guaranteed $28.9 million contract that includes a $17.5 million signing bonus.
Dallas real-estate analysts said his signing could boost home demand near the team’s facility.
The deal ends a 24-year drought, as Dallas last drafted a first-round safety in 2002.
Nick Saban called Downs “one of the finest competitors I have ever coached” on ESPN.
#CalebDowns trended, posting over 15,000 tweets within an hour of the pick.

History

Historical Context

The 2011 collective bargaining agreement, ratified on August 4 2011 after a July lockout, introduced a rookie wage scale that caps first-round contracts. Dallas Cowboys’ recent deal for safety Caleb Downs pushes those limits, prompting debate over the CBA’s constraints. The agreement also set aside $50 million each year for medical research program.

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Cowboys Draft

Dallas Cowboys drafted safety Caleb Downs No. 11 and edge rusher Malachi Lawrence No. 23 in 2026.
They gave Miami Dolphins the 12th pick plus compensatory fifth-round picks No. 177 and No. 180 to acquire Downs.
They sent the No. 20 pick to Philadelphia for the No. 23 pick and fourth-round picks No. 114 and No. 137.
Defensive coordinator Christian Parker expects Downs to start at nickel and Lawrence to add depth behind Rashan Gary and Donovan Ezeiruaku.

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