Bill Barnwell completed his AFC offseason review last week and turned to the NFC this week, identifying a best and worst move for each of the conference’s 16 teams, according to Barnwell. He noted these selections are not strictly the most prominent or impactful moves but can reflect value, how thoroughly a weakness was addressed, or notable inactions. Draft picks are evaluated in the context of pre-draft expectations and typical rookie production.
Barnwell said he evaluates each move only within the context of the team involved, meaning a team’s worst decision could still be better than another team’s best. He will proceed division by division, beginning with the NFC East.
For the Dallas Cowboys, Barnwell called the signing of cornerback Cobie Durant the team’s best move. The one-year, $4 million deal brought Durant in from the Rams for roughly what Barnwell described as about as much as Dak Prescott makes per game. Durant, 28, has allowed a 74.3 passer rating in coverage over the past four seasons and projects to start outside opposite DaRon Bland in 2026 after occasional slot work in Los Angeles. Barnwell also praised Dallas’ defensive additions more broadly, including moving up one spot to draft safety Caleb Downs at No. 11.
Barnwell identified the Cowboys’ worst move as bringing back tackle Terence Steele on a restructured deal. Steele, who suffered a multi-ligament knee injury at the end of the 2022 season, has not missed a game in the three seasons since but has struggled against speedier edge rushers. Dallas signed Steele to a three-year, $33 million contract that pays him $13 million in cash this year; there is no guaranteed money after this season, and the team would face $22 million in dead money if it moved on from Steele after 2026, according to Barnwell.
Turning to the New York Giants, Barnwell called the team’s best move trading defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II for the 10th overall pick. Barnwell acknowledged that losing a player of Lawrence’s stature hurts short term, but noted Lawrence had been pushing for a new contract over the prior 12 months, entered 2026 with three years left on his deal and saw his 2025 season limited by an elbow injury that coincided with a significant drop in his numbers.
