After defense, Cowboys could win by drafting these offensive positions

· Yahoo Sports

Everyone knows the Dallas Cowboys are hunting defensive players in the 2026 NFL draft. With glaring needs across multiple defensive positions, the situation is nearly unavoidable early on. Later in the draft, things become less dictated, with Day 3 of the draft reverting to an opportunistic BPA (best player available) approach that’s served them well in the past.

Two offensive positions in particular offer significant depth and opportunities within the rotation to be impactful: running back and tight end. Unlike receiver, which is blocked by current stars and rising stars, and unlike offensive tackle, which rarely sees Day 3 players make instant impacts, tight end and running back could realistically see playing time in 2026 and beyond.

Visit asg-reflektory.pl for more information.

Cowboys’ RB outlook

At running back, the Cowboys are pinning a fair amount of hope on Phil Mafah and/or Jaydon Blue developing. They re-signed the highly effective Javonte Williams to be starter, and Mailk Davis is at the ready to potentially be back-up again, but the Cowboys lack juice at the position and if Blue can’t be a reliable enough option, Dallas may need to look at some prospects to fill the need.

It’s perfectly conceivable a rookie running back could elevate to RB2 as soon as Week 1. If that prospect can show reliability in pass protection and game-breaking speed with the ball in his hands, he’ll have a clear leg up on the competition.

The size of the contribution at running back seems to come down to the type of running back the Cowboys draft.

Cowboys’ TE outlook

The Cowboys top three tight ends are Jake Ferguson, Luke Schoonmaker and Brevyn Spann-Ford. Ferguson is the well-rounded starter with a special connection to QB Dak Prescott and a role set in stone. Schoonmaker is an underachieving draft pick on the last year of his rookie deal. Spann-Ford is, at the moment, a one-dimensional blocker who needs to show improvement as a pass catcher. Opportunities are rife.

In an ultra-deep tight end class, the Cowboys could easily find a prospect on Day 3 who slides right into the rotation as TE2. Spann-Ford might already be the best blocking tight end in the NFL, but he needs to prove himself as a pass-catcher before he can elevate much higher on the depth chart.

Based on the three, whoever the Day 3 selection is, will have to offer something other than just blocking. A well-rounded traditional Y-TE would be best suited to make an instant impact. If a rookie can come in and do what Schoonmaker was supposed to do, he could see opportunities early. He would even be positioned for a long-term role as a potential replacement to Ferguson down the road.

With that said, even a one-dimensional pass catcher with run after the catch ability could see prime action in 2026. The Cowboys don’t have a creator at the TE spot and could easily develop gameplans to utilize a skill currently missing from the lineup. Go ahead and scratch one-dimensional blockers off the list.

Verdict

The Cowboys running back room probably offers the most opportunities given the quality of everyone behind Williams on the depth chart. Yet, the elite depth of the tight end class in 2026 means the Cowboys have higher odds of finding a better pure prospect. Both positions offer both short and long-term promise but running back is the easier transition of the two when assessing the jump from college to the NFL.

Running back wins by a hair.

You can follow Reid on X @ReidDHanson and be sure to follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!

This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Drafting Day 3 TE or RB: biggest opportunity for Cowboys contribution?

Read full story at source