Skip Bayless Claims Jerry Jones Was Forced Into Drafting Caleb Downs

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is widely regarded as a clear winner after his moves in the 2026 offseason and the NFL draft that concluded last month.

The billionaire had one problem to solve on both the offensive and defensive units. George Pickens‘ contract was a major headache, and Jones placed a non-exclusive franchise tag on the mercurial wide receiver.

Not only does that give his team a chance to ‘audition’ the wideout for one more season, but it also safeguards him from both paying over the odds and receiving compensation in case Pickens leaves. Then, the energy magnate ensured the league’s best kicker stays.

Other than these two concerns, Jerry Jones has mostly dedicated his time to building the defense. After a few more trades, he had essentially corrected most of the front seven’s deficiencies from last season.

Then came the draft, and everyone felt that the 83-year-old would continue to look for impactful defenders. That is when he got his hands on Caleb Downs.

I think Jerry felt pressured to trade up, to rise to expectations… He’s got a reputation to live up to… All the mock drafts had him going way high. 10 times teams could’ve taken Caleb Downs and didn’t

Skip Bayless said on The Arena

The veteran analyst believes that this was Jerry Jones having to live up to the notion that he would trade up if he had a defensive piece available.

Skip Bayless thinks Jerry Jones felt pressured to trade up and draft Caleb Downs 😳

"All the mock drafts had him going way high. 10 times teams could've taken Caleb Downs and didn't." pic.twitter.com/K12r0jnwiO

— The Arena: Gridiron (@ArenaGridiron) May 4, 2026

Skip Bayless wondered why teams ahead of the Cowboys did not select Caleb Downs, and whether this was the Cowboys paying more for a player who might not be worth the 11th overall pick.

Former GM believes Caleb Downs will vindicate Jerry Jones picking him

While Skip Bayless kept wondering about Caleb Downs’ potential, former New York Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum does not have a doubt about how the Ohio State alum will impact Jerry Jones’ defense.

We talked in the pre-draft about his versatility, how smart he is… The amount of big plays he’ll prevent because he’s an outstanding tackler is going to be huge for this defense.

Mike Tannenbaum said on Get Up

The analyst pointed out how the safety’s versatility in the backfield alone will help the Cowboys cut down on their mistakes on big plays from last season. Tannenbaum believes that if the rookie can take away half of the big plays America’s team gave up last season, it will be enough to turn the tide.

Mike Tannenbaum believes Caleb Downs will make a big impact on the Cowboys defense:

“The amount of big plays he’ll prevent because he’s an outstanding tackler, is going to be huge for that defense” pic.twitter.com/T5aiZ7AEza

— NFL SIDELINE (@NFL__SIDELINE) May 4, 2026

In the midst of all the acquisitions Jerry Jones has made in this past calendar year, it seems there are many who believe that trading up and selecting Downs was the move that could set the Dallas Cowboys up to fulfill their goal of contending for a Super Bowl.

Super Bowl champion believes Jerry Jones’ Cowboys will win NFC East

As the cast of The Arena: Gridiron discussed the Dallas Cowboys, host Kinsey Wolanski asked Aqib Talib what percentage of a chance he gives the team to win the NFC East.

I’m giving them a 65% chance… They had a top offense last year, and they returned everybody. That’s huge. Barring injury, they will be better this year… The defense was terrible… They addressed the defense… They added about six new starters to that defense.

Aqib Talib said

When he said this, his colleagues were left baffled, because that is a near guarantee that the Cowboys would win. The former cornerback cited the team’s improvements year-on-year.

The Arena debates if the Cowboys can contend with the Eagles for the NFC East 👀

"They had a top offense last year, and they returned everybody. The defense was terrible, but they addressed the defense. They added about 6 new starters to that defense." @AqibTalib21 pic.twitter.com/zexys0YSVY

— The Arena: Gridiron (@ArenaGridiron) May 4, 2026

He also added that the scheme under the new defensive coordinator, Christian Parker, will work, as Jerry Jones has built the defense to help that system flourish. He even highlighted how a rotational defensive back acquired in free agency could play better in the new system. That is why he believes the Cowboys will end up breaking the Philadelphia Eagles’ winning streak.

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