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Who are Dallas' most important defensive players in 2025?
The Dallas Cowboys new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus definitely has his work cut out for him. He inherits a unit that was one of the worst in the league last year in the red zone, ranked 29th of the league in run defense, and allow the second most points.
Despite all of that, the Cowboys defense isn't talent deprived. This is a unit with a lot of upside. Their success or failure will depend heavily on certain pieces falling into place and certain players raising the level of their game. With that in mind, here are the Cowboys top five most important defensive players in 2025.
Mazi Smith is entering his third season with the Cowboys and has already played for three different defensive coordinators during that time. While he hasn't lived up to his first-round draft status, he is still nonetheless important to Dallas' defense in 2025. The Cowboys are relying heavily on him as the starting 1-technique, especially in run defense. If he doesn’t take a significant jump in Year 3, the Cowboys run defense will sadly pay the price.
Jack Sanborn could be one of the most underrated, yet most important, additions this offseason. He followed Matt Eberflus from the Chicago Bears to the Cowboys and will lock down one of the starting jobs at linebacker with his new team in 2025. His knowledge of Eberflus' defense will help aid in the transition for his teammates around him as well as make him one of the more important players on that side of the ball this season.
The Cowboys re-signed Osa Odighizuwa for a reason. The 3-technique is a key part of Matt Eberflus' 4-3 scheme, and not only that, he's one of the best players at his position in the league and a fringe Pro Bowl-caliber player. Dallas added Solomon Thomas to upgrade the depth behind him, however, he's not in Odighizuwa's league. Odighizuwa will be an integral part to the defenses success or failure in 2025 as both a pass rusher and a run defender.
The Cowboys are relying heavily on DaRon Bland in 2025 after Jourdan Lewis' departure in free agency and with the current injuries to Trevon Diggs and other players in their secondary. Bland's position flex to play in the slot or on the outside will once again be invaluable this season as it has been since he joined the Cowboys. He could be so valuable to Dallas' defense this season he was in contention for the top spot, narrowly missing out.
Micah Parsons is one of the best players in the entire league and the best player the Cowboys have on the roster. Offensive coordinators around the league have to game plan for him specifically each and...
