The Dallas Cowboys in 2025 were an offense-only team, as the defense recorded its worst outing in franchise history, hinting at the likes of prospects Rueben Bain Jr. and Dillon Thieneman. Dallas has been hard at work this offseason overhauling its defense, and a few more pieces should complete the set.
How will Bain and Thieneman add value to the worst defense in pro football?
How Rueben Bain Jr. and Dillon Thieneman Fit the Dallas Cowboys Defense
The historically poor Cowboys defense surrendered 30.1 points per game on average last season, ranking at the very back of the pack. While they forced a fair number of fumbles and booked a decent number of sacks, the secondary was looking for parking more often than not. Struggling to generate sacks, the unit left much to be desired down the stretch, as they conceded 44 points against both the Denver Broncos and Detroit Lions.
Owner Jerry Jones and company understandably went after some key defensive pieces this offseason, and Bain and Thieneman are now predicted to be among the haul.
“Dallas signed Sam Williams to a one-year deal and traded for Rashan Gary, but this is still a roster that needs another speed rusher,” ESPN wrote. “Bain would bring exactly that, as well as power to the position.”
The front office is tackling its defensive overhaul with a balanced approach, prioritizing the defensive line as well as the secondary.
“At safety, Dallas signed Jalen Thompson and has Malik Hooker under contract for one more season,” ESPN added. “They could use another playmaker on the back end; Thieneman had eight interceptions and two forced fumbles in three seasons at Purdue and Oregon.”
Bain is a top-10 prospect in the 2026 class. While he has some height concerns, he more than makes up for it with his hard-hitting playstyle. In 2025, he recorded 54 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, and 1 interception.
“With his power and raw strength, Bain can sledge through tackles and overwhelm 1-on-1 as a pass-rusher, but he also has the hyper-elite sturdiness to absorb combo and duo blocks in the run game, and sets an edge with unflinching consistency,” PFSN wrote. “While power is Bain’s primary mode, he has a deep pass-rush bag and smooth upper-lower synergy, superb strength, IQ, and pursuit range in run defense, and surprising flexibility as a finisher.”
Oregon star Dillon Thieneman similarly proved his mettle during his three years in college. Transferring from Purdue to Oregon for his final season, he finished his career with 306 tackles, 10.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, and 8 interceptions.
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“Thieneman doesn’t quite have elite top-end fluidity, but he’s an extremly rangy and explosive athlete, and that athletic floor, paired with his elite mental game and translatable physicality, insulates his value as a future impact starter with schematic versatility,” PFSN wrote.
It’ll be fun to see how the Cowboys finish off their defensive overhaul.
