The Dallas Cowboys allowed 511 points last season — a franchise record and one of the worst defensive performances by DVOA since the merger. They weren’t unlucky. They did it to themselves.
Cincinnati and Washington face similar crises. All three franchises have quarterback windows worth protecting. None have defenses capable of doing it.
TL;DR: The Cowboys, Bengals, and Commanders each enter the 2026 offseason with defenses that cannot support their quarterbacks. Dallas traded away its defensive cornerstone; Cincinnati is watching its pass rush walk out the door due to organizational conservatism; and Washington has burned two years of Jayden Daniels’ cost-controlled rookie window with historically poor defense. All three teams face a hard deadline — and no realistic path through it without significant investment.
Dallas Cowboys
Jerry Jones traded Micah Parsons to Green Bay before last season. Green Bay fans chanted “Thank you, Jerry” shortly after. Across 1,039 plays over four seasons, Dallas was the league’s best defense with Parsons on the field — and second-worst without him. That delta doesn’t close with mid-tier free agents.
Jones holds two first-round picks from the deal, which has fueled Maxx Crosby trade speculation. Crosby would give an immediate credibility boost to a pass-rushing corps that lists Jadeveon Clowney and Dante Fowler as its most experienced options heading into free agency. DaRon Bland is a legitimate cornerback — one. The rest of the secondary is a developmental project. Trey Hendrickson stabilizes the edge; Riq Woolen or Alontae Taylor provides a genuine boundary corner.
New defensive coordinator Christian Parker isn’t walking into a renovation. He’s walking into a demolition site. Jones hasn’t made a meaningful free-agent signing since Brandon Carr in 2012. The NFL odds reflect it: Dallas sits at +3500 to win Super Bowl 61.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals allowed 32.7 points per game through their first 11 games — the second-worst mark since 1978, trailing only the 1981 Colts. Joe Burrow is in his prime. Cap room exists. The organizational response has been what it always is: cautious.
Another year of disappointment ahead for Bengals fans.
— Lucky Rebel (@LuckyRebel__) January 5, 2026
Trey Hendrickson is the clearest symbol of this dysfunction. Two years of failed extension talks, a reworked contract last August structured to preserve the franchise tag at roughly $34–36 million in 2026, and now a tag-and-trade scenario that could net a third-round pick for the best available pass rusher. Joseph Ossai is also leaving. The linebacker room is thin after the Logan Wilson trade.
Cap space isn’t the problem. Organizational culture is. Cincinnati has treated its roster budget like a reserve fund — something to protect rather than deploy. That approach made sense when Burrow was developing. It’s malpractice now that he’s in his prime and the defense has been historically broken.
Washington Commanders
Washington finished last in scoring defense for the second time in three seasons. Jayden Daniels played through a knee, a hamstring, and two elbow issues — and the defense still couldn’t hold games. Bobby Wagner is gone. Von Miller is gone. Two of the locker room’s most experienced leaders, removed in the same offseason.
Quinn’s zone scheme requires athletic, coverage-capable linebackers. Quay Walker fits. Dee Alford or Rasul Douglas provide a cornerback bridge. Moving DaRon Payne generates cap room while signaling a genuine commitment to speed over mass. Caleb Downs at safety in round one would upgrade a secondary that’s been exploited for two straight years.
Daniels is on a rookie deal — a two-year window of maximum financial flexibility that’s already partially spent. Miss it entirely, and Washington is negotiating a second contract while fielding the same defense. All three franchises are staring at the same deadline. The 2026 offseason isn’t optional.
FAQ
Which NFL teams have the worst defenses heading into the 2026 offseason?
The Dallas Cowboys, Cincinnati Bengals, and Washington Commanders each finished among the worst defensive units in the league last season. Dallas allowed a franchise-record 511 points after trading Micah Parsons. The Bengals gave up 32.7 points per game through their first 11 contests — the second-worst mark since 1978. Washington finished last in scoring defense for the second time in three seasons.
Why did the Cowboys allow 511 points last season?
Dallas traded Micah Parsons to Green Bay before the season in exchange for defensive tackle Kenny Clark and two first-round picks. The move stripped the unit of its most impactful player — across 1,039 plays over four seasons, the Cowboys were the league’s best defense with Parsons on the field and second-worst without him. The rest of the roster wasn’t built to compensate.
Is Trey Hendrickson leaving the Cincinnati Bengals?
Hendrickson is widely expected to depart. After two years of failed contract extension talks, the Bengals reworked his deal in a way that preserved their franchise tag option at roughly $34–36 million in 2026. The most likely outcome is a tag-and-trade that nets Cincinnati a mid-round pick — a poor return for one of the best pass rushers on the market.
How does Jayden Daniels’ rookie contract affect Washington’s defensive urgency?
Daniels’ cost-controlled rookie deal gives Washington a narrow window of maximum financial flexibility — roughly two seasons where the team can spend heavily elsewhere without quarterback salary squeezing the cap. If the organization fails to rebuild the defense within that window, it will face the same defensive problems while also absorbing a second contract for Daniels, significantly reducing its room to maneuver.
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