The Dallas Cowboys enter the offseason with few illusions about where their primary focus must lie.
After a disastrous 2025 campaign, rebuilding the defense is no longer optional, but essential for any realistic playoff aspirations.

Dallas’ defensive collapse last season was both startling and costly.
What had once been considered a strength deteriorated into a liability, consistently putting the offense in unfavorable positions and erasing any margin for error.

That regression played a major role in the Cowboys missing the postseason.
It also directly contributed to the dismissal of defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, whose scheme and adjustments failed to keep pace.

While coaching was part of the issue, personnel shortcomings were equally damaging.
The Cowboys struggled to generate consistent pressure, particularly off the edge, allowing opposing quarterbacks far too much comfort.

As a result, edge rusher has emerged as one of the most glaring needs on the roster.
Dallas cannot afford to enter another season without addressing that deficiency aggressively.

The solution, however, does not have to be singular.
Ideally, the Cowboys should pursue a two-pronged approach, pairing a major acquisition with a lower-cost supplemental addition.

One name that fits the latter category is A.J. Epenesa, a pending free agent from the Buffalo Bills.
While not a star, Epenesa represents a calculated depth upgrade.

According to FanSided analyst FanSided Chris Landers, Buffalo is expected to let Epenesa test free agency.
Landers projects that Dallas could emerge as his eventual landing spot.

The financial framework for such a move appears modest.
Market projections from Spotrac estimate a deal worth approximately eighteen million dollars over two seasons.

That number aligns with Dallas’ needs.
It represents an investment significant enough to secure rotational value without compromising flexibility for a larger acquisition.

Landers framed the prediction succinctly.
“This just feels like a Jerry Jones move,” he wrote, referencing the Cowboys’ long-standing tendency to gamble on upside at reasonable cost.

Epenesa, Landers argued, still possesses appealing tools.
On the right day, he flashes the ability to set the edge, generate pressure, and disrupt offensive rhythm.

The Cowboys, meanwhile, are desperate for answers on the perimeter.
Relative affordability makes Epenesa an appealing bet compared to top-tier free agents commanding premium contracts.

That context matters.
Dallas cannot solve its edge problem with bargain-bin options alone, but complementary pieces play an important role.

Epenesa’s professional résumé reflects both promise and disappointment.
A former second-round pick, expectations were high when Buffalo selected him out of Iowa.

Across six seasons, he has delivered intermittent production.
In ninety-one career games, Epenesa has recorded twenty-four sacks, a total that underscores inconsistency rather than dominance.

He has reached six or more sacks in three separate seasons.
In fact, his best years came in 2022 and 2023, when he posted six and a half sacks in each campaign.

However, his 2025 season represented a significant step backward.
Epenesa finished with just two and a half sacks, all of which came in the second half of the year.

That late surge offered limited reassurance.
For much of the season, he struggled to impact games, reinforcing concerns about his reliability as a primary pass rusher.

Because of that regression, skepticism surrounds Spotrac’s projected two-year contract.
There is a strong possibility Epenesa ultimately settles for a one-year prove-it deal instead.

Buffalo’s motivations are understandable.
The Bills need to upgrade the position and may prefer resetting rather than extending a player who has plateaued.

After six seasons, Epenesa’s profile is well established.
He has proven to be serviceable, but not transformative, a reality that limits long-term commitment appeal.

For Dallas, that reality changes the equation.
The Cowboys would not be asking Epenesa to anchor the pass rush.

Instead, he would function as a secondary or tertiary option.
In that role, his deficiencies are minimized while his strengths can be emphasized.

This is where roster construction becomes critical.
If Dallas pairs Epenesa with a true difference-maker on the opposite edge, his effectiveness could increase substantially.

Pass rushers often benefit from reduced attention.
When offenses must account for elite threats elsewhere, complementary players see more favorable matchups.

Epenesa has shown that he can capitalize under those conditions.
When protections shift away from him, his power and hand usage become more impactful.

That scenario aligns with how the Cowboys should be thinking.
Epenesa alone does not fix the defense, but he can enhance a larger solution.

The key is sequencing.
Dallas must first secure a top-tier edge rusher via free agency or trade.

Only then does adding Epenesa make strategic sense.
As a standalone move, it would represent insufficient ambition.

As a supplemental addition, it becomes logical.
Depth, rotation, and situational flexibility all improve with his presence.

This approach also reflects financial discipline.
The Cowboys cannot allocate premium resources at every position, especially with looming extensions elsewhere.

Lower-cost veterans with defined roles help balance the books.
They allow star acquisitions without overcommitting to mid-tier talent.

Epenesa’s age also works in Dallas’ favor.
Still in his mid-twenties, he retains physical upside without the wear associated with older veterans.

That matters for a team seeking durability.
The Cowboys’ defense struggled not only with performance, but with availability throughout 2025.

Injuries and fatigue exposed depth issues repeatedly.
Adding rotational contributors reduces that vulnerability across a long season.

The presence of improved interior talent could further amplify Epenesa’s impact.
Pressure up the middle often forces quarterbacks into edge rushers’ paths.

Dallas has historically thrived when its defensive line operates as a unit rather than isolated parts.
Recreating that cohesion remains a priority.

Epenesa’s limitations must be acknowledged honestly.
He has not developed into the consistent disruptor Buffalo envisioned.

However, context matters.
Development curves vary, and scheme fit can influence production significantly.

Dallas offers a different environment.
A change in coaching philosophy and usage could unlock marginal gains.

Marginal gains matter.
Defense is often improved through accumulation rather than singular breakthroughs.

The Cowboys cannot expect one move to fix everything.
Instead, they must stack competent decisions across the offseason.

Signing Epenesa qualifies as one such decision, provided expectations remain realistic.
He is a role player, not a savior.

Jerry Jones has historically embraced this type of calculated gamble.
Betting on pedigree and flashes has long been part of Dallas’ roster philosophy.

If executed properly, this move would align with that tradition without repeating past excesses.
Cost control is essential, particularly if production remains uneven.

Ultimately, the Cowboys’ defensive resurgence will depend on multiple factors.
Coaching adjustments, health, and personnel upgrades must all align.

Epenesa alone will not transform the unit.
But as part of a broader strategy, his addition could contribute meaningfully.

If Dallas secures a premier edge rusher and adds Epenesa behind him, optimism becomes more reasonable.
In that context, Epenesa could enjoy his most productive professional season.

Surrounded by talent and freed from unrealistic expectations, he might finally find consistency.
That outcome would justify the investment and strengthen the defensive rotation.

The risk, meanwhile, remains limited.
Short-term deals protect Dallas if improvement fails to materialize.

In a pivotal offseason, prudence and ambition must coexist.
Signing A.J. Epenesa, if done correctly, reflects that balance.

For the Cowboys, the path back to contention begins on defense.
Every move, big or small, must serve that objective.