That’s what Jerry Jones figured he needed during the first round of the NFL draft on Thursday night as the clock ticked toward the 12th pick overall owned by his Dallas Cowboys, with coveted Ohio State safety Caleb Downs suddenly in reach.

“When we got within striking distance, those last couple of picks, I can’t tell you the times, through experience, where someone has moved in almost as you were turning your card in, and trading with the guy in front of us,” Jones reflected to USA TODAY Sports as the Cowboys finished up its defense-heavy draft on Saturday.

To secure Downs – and to avoid the type of scenario the Pittsburgh Steelers experienced when the Philadelphia Eagles traded to in front of them to land Southern Cal receiver Makai Lemon with the 20th pick – the Cowboys sent two late-fifth round compensatory picks to the Miami Dolphins to move up one spot and get their man.

“What we bought there was insurance,” Jones added. “But think about it: We needed it more. We were buying flood insurance in an area that has flooded for years.”

That metaphor has a double meaning. Downs is a major haul for a Dallas defense that has been some kind of disaster zone. Last year, after dealing away premier pass-rusher Micah Parsons, the pitiful Cowboys defense ranked last in the league for points allowed, passing yards allowed and third-down rate – fueling the major overhaul that has defined the offseason agenda.

Sure, there’s always the potential for more drama on the George Pickens front. The franchise-tagged receiver, seeking a long-term contract, is reportedly set to sign the tag that pays nearly $28 million for 2026 and join the offseason program.

Regardless, the Cowboys came out of this draft checking so many boxes needed to reinvent the defense, following up on earlier moves to upgrade the talent for new coordinator Christian Parker. They drafted three edge rushers, starting with first-rounder Malachi Lawrence from Central Florida (23rd overall). The third-rounder, Jaishawn Barham, may give pause when considering the franchise’s not-so-sterling history with Michigan defensive lineman, but they like the potential of his versatile impact for a hybrid scheme that will mix 4-3 and 3-4 fronts. And Barham, who played inside linebacker in 2024, is projected to start off as a stand-up linebacker.

They also added another linebacker to the mix, dealing a fifth-round pick to San Francisco for Dee Winters. Add the free agent acquisition of former Arizona safety Jalen Thomspon, the trade that landed defensive end Rashan Gary from the Packers, and the two D-tackle acquisitions obtained last year, Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark, and this defense – with five first-round talents added since Parsons was dealt – will look nothing like last year’s unit.

Of course, what’s on paper is only the beginning. If only Jones could buy some insurance that provides for a unit to better complement Dak Prescott and one of the NFL’s most productive offenses.

“We all understand the game and having results,” Jones said. “We’ve go to make some third-down stops. We were proud of what we accomplished on offense with Brian (Schottenheimer) in his first year, but everybody, including him dreaming about it, knew we had to make some big adjustments.”

If the Cowboys had to play a game today, they would line up eight starters on the defense who weren’t with the team a year ago. And seven of the eight coaches on Parker’s staff are new to the team.

Whether that’s enough to buck the bottom-line trend – it’s been 30 years since the Cowboys have won a Super Bowl or advanced to the NFC Championship Game – will have to play out with the games.

“Let’s just say one thing: We’re going to change it,” Jones said. “And this is truly a case where changes are made for the change’s sake. In other words, if that’s the way they used to do it, that’s a reason to do it differently.”

The Cowboys haven’t drafted a safety as high as Downs since Roy Williams was picked eighth overall in 2002. The vision is even higher. Downs has been compared to versatile safety Darren Woodson, the Hall of Fame finalist who was so crucial to the defenses that won three Super Bowls in the 1990s.

Will McClay, the Cowboys’ vice president of personnel, has described Downs as a “multiplier” who will make the people around him better.

For one thing, in addition to covering on the back end as a ballhawk, the Cowboys envision his impact as a blitzer, a nickel back and a sure-tackling run supporter. All of which sounds a lot like Woodson.

Then there’s the other factor. The Cowboys, plagued by communication breakdowns, need a quarterback on the back end.

“It’s one thing for the defensive coordinator to make the call,” Jones said. “It’s another thing to get it all lined up, making the adjustments that need to be made from the field. From the get-go in the evaluation, he was coveted because he could be that. One of his strongest traits is how smart he is, quarterbacking a whole bunch out there.”

It all sounds like a plan for a new defense, and of course, no one can sell it quite like Jones. Especially coming out of a draft, when every team in the league loves its new crop.

Then again, it’s also apparent that with the sea change of the Cowboys defense in this post-Parsons era, it can’t get much worse.