March 18, 2026, 7:57 a.m. CT

There’s little argument that the Dallas Cowboys’ biggest need heading into the draft is at the linebacker position. Pass rusher may be more important, is more important, while safety may be more impactful and cornerback more attractive. All pale in comparison to linebacker in overall need for this roster.

When The Athletic asked beat reporters across the NFL what their respective team’s biggest need following the first week of free agency is, it should be no surprise Jon Machota names linebacker for the Cowboys. Pointing out the free agent whiff Dallas made at luring Nakobe Dean early in the month, Machota said, barring a trade, the Cowboys will have to dedicate one of their top draft picks to the position this April.

The question now is how much competition will the Cowboys face for filling that need.

Asking the same question to all other 31 teams, how many and who specifically also named LB as their biggest roster need today? Knowing free agency has all but dried up at the linebacker position, this will go a long way in telling Cowboys fans who their beloved team is competing with in the 2026 NFL draft.

Based on the qualified opinions of each team’s writing representative at The Athletic, only one team beside the Cowboys named off-ball linebacker as their primary need right now: the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals, who pick 10 overall, join Dallas in their hunt for linebacker this April and could very well be pulling the trigger with their very first pick.

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Picking two spots ahead of the Cowboys at 12 is important to point out, since they likely represent the floor for the top tier of draft prospects this year. It’s almost impossible to fathom a scenario where either Arvel Reese or Sonny Styles falls to Dallas with the Bengals right there, and with such a wide delta between the top tier and second tier, the Cowboys will probably have to put linebacker off until later in the round.

Hunting linebackers later in the round should be much easier for the Cowboys. With a strong second tier that’s expected to bridge the first two rounds, Dallas could theoretically trade back from Pick 20 and still be in play for a solid prospect.

It’s important to point out just because linebacker isn’t the biggest need for anyone else in the NFL, doesn’t mean it’s not a need across the NFL. Linebackers have a short shelf life and heavy churn. Just about everyone can make the case for drafting a linebacker just about any year.

The Cowboys should be in excellent position to pick up a linebacker early in the draft. It may not be possible to find good value with the first pick, but from the 20-60 range they should see options like C.J. Allen, Jacob Rodriguez, Anthony Hill Jr., and Josiah Trotter.

No one can justify Dallas’ failure to add a veteran starter to the mix in free agency but based on needs around the NFL, things appear to be falling into the Cowboys favor heading into draft season.

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