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What Cowboys just did with Caleb Downs has everyone talking before minicamp

•Yahoo Sports

Dallas signed No. 11 pick Caleb Downs to a fully guaranteed four-year deal. The Cowboys aren't waiting to develop the star rookie, expecting an instant fix.

What Cowboys just did with Caleb Downs has everyone talking before minicamp originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . The Dallas Cowboys have signed first-round pick Caleb Downs to a four-year rookie deal worth about $28.

9 million. The contract is fully guaranteed and follows the standard pay scale for players taken early in the draft. Downs entered the league as the 11th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft after a strong college career at Alabama and Ohio State.

He built his profile as a versatile defensive back who can cover, tackle, and support different roles on defense. Cowboys first-round pick Caleb Downs signed his four-year, fully-guaranteed, $28. 9 million deal.

https://t. co/8M4Qgm4uUv — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 1, 2026 The Cowboys made this move as part of an effort to fix a defense that surrendered a league-high 30. 1 points per game in 2025.