Quarterback

The Cowboys finished last season 7-9-1, but their issues were almost entirely on the defensive side of the ball, as they ranked dead last in schedule adjusted efficiency on defense in their first season post-Micah Parsons trade, as opposed to 3rd on offense. I will get much more into their defense later, but they have a completely remade unit on that side of the ball with seven expected starters who were injured or not on the roster week 1 of last season, including five that were just added this off-season. Some of those newcomers are high or potential high level players and even the ones who aren’t high level players are still significant upgrades on the players they are replacing. With their defense expected to be a lot better, this team has a lot of potential if their offense can continue to play at the level they played at last season.

They largely bring back the same offense as a year ago, with their top-11 in terms of snaps played from a year ago all being brought back, but there are some reasons to expect them to not be as good. For one, they didn’t have a lot of injuries on offense last season, with the 9th fewest adjusted games lost to injury on offense of any teams in the league last season. The Cowboys also got a great season from Dak Prescott, who has played like an elite quarterback at times in his career, but has also not been able to do that consistently. In ten seasons in the league, he has had five seasons where he has made every start and recorded a passer rating of 99 or higher, but he also has had four seasons in which he either missed five or more games due to injury or finished with a passer rating below 90. 

Most recently, both of those happened in 2024, when Prescott completed 64.7% of his passes for an average of 6.92 YPA, 11 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions (86.0 passer rating) in 8 games. He bounced back in a big way in 2025, completing 67.3% of his passes for an average of 7.59 YPA, 30 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions (99.5 passer rating) in 17 games, but it is very possible that his 2026 season falls somewhere in the middle, now going into his age 33 season, with a significant injury history. If that happens, that will hurt this offense significantly.

The Cowboys’ backup options if Prescott gets hurt are incumbent backup Joe Milton and free agent addition Sam Howell, both of whom would be obvious downgrades. Milton, a 6th round pick in 2024, has the most upside of the two and has completed 69.8% of his passes for an average of 8.00 YPA, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions in two seasons in the league, but almost all of that action has come in meaningless week 18 games that were glorified pre-season games, so it is tough to put much stock into his performance. 

Howell, meanwhile, has made 18 starts in four seasons in the league, completing 62.6% of his passes for an average of 6.42 YPA, 22 touchdowns, and 23 interceptions. The Cowboys’ decision to add him this off-season suggests they aren’t sold on Milton, but this job will go to whoever most earns it this off-season. Starting quarterback Dak Prescott has a high upside if he plays at or near his best and stays healthy, but there is also downside here if Prescott struggles or gets hurt, forcing an underwhelming backup option into action.

Grade: A-

Receiving Corps

Another concern for this offense is a potential rumored trade of wide receiver George Pickens, whose addition to this offense took them to the next level last off-season, but who has yet to be signed long-term and could hold out after being franchise tagged this off-season. Pickens finished last season with a 93/1429/9 slash line and 2.35 yards per route run on 137 targets (10.43 yards per target) last season. 

It was a career best year, but Pickens’ production had always been kept down on his previous team in Pittsburgh by poor quarterback play and a run-heavy offense. Even still, Pickens averaged 1.83 yards per route run and 9.70 yards per target in three seasons with the Steelers and he predictably broke out statistically in a much wide receiver friendly offense in Dallas. Still only in his age 25 season, Pickens could easily continue playing and producing at a similar level if he stays in Dallas.

Part of the reason why the Cowboys might consider moving Pickens is because they already have another #1 caliber wide receiver in CeeDee Lamb, who is already signed to a big money contract, ranking 4th among wide receivers in average annual salary at 34 million. Pickens may be looking to match or top that salary and that would be a lot for the Cowboys to commit to two wide receivers. Lamb finished with less production than Pickens last season (75/1077/3), but mostly because he missed three full games and part of two others with injury. 

His yards per route run average of 2.37 was actually slightly better than Pickens’ and he’s more proven, averaging a 113/1451/8 slash line per 17 games and 2.47 yards per route run over the past four seasons. Still only going into his age 27 season, Lamb is very much still in his prime. It is possible Pickens is traded, but if they were going to do that the Cowboys probably would have moved Pickens before the draft to get something to help them this season and there is nothing wrong with having two legitimate #1 wide receivers, which is what Lamb and Pickens are.

The Cowboys also have a promising #3 wide receiver in Ryan Flournoy. A 6th round pick in 2024, Flournoy only averaged 1.06 yards per route run in a limited role as a rookie, but that jumped to 1.74 in 2025. Flournoy wasn’t even the full-time #3 receiver last season, but he saw his playing time increase as the season went on, playing 37.9 snaps per game in his final eight games of the season, as opposed to 25.1 snaps per game in his first seven games of the season, as it became clear that he was their best option, compared to KaVontae Turpin (highly undersized at 5-9 153) and Jalen Tolbert (0.77 yards per route run in 2025). 

In 2026, Flournoy should begin the year as the #3 clear wide receiver and, even though he is still pretty unproven, he will probably be better than most #3 wide receivers. The Cowboys also still have KaVontae Turpin (1.79 yards per route run in the past three seasons) as a situational receiver, though he is going into his age 30 season, which is a concern for a player so reliant on speed and quickness. Other depth options include Jonathan Mingo, who was a second round pick by the Panthers in 2023, but has averaged just 0.72 yards per route run in his career, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, a veteran who has averaged just 1.19 yards per route run in his career, who was on three different rosters last season, and who is now going into his age 32 season.

At tight end, Jake Ferguson is a decent, but unspectacular starter, averaging a 75/657/5 slash line per 17 games with a 1.32 yards per route run average in three seasons as a starter. He will continue being backed up by Luke Schoonmaker, a 2023 2nd round pick who has averaged just 1.04 yards per route run in three seasons in the league, and 2024 undrafted free agent Brevyn Spann-Ford, a blocking specialist who has caught just 18 passes in two seasons in the league. This is a talented overall receiving corps, led by a pair of true #1 caliber wide receivers in CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens.

Grade: A

Running Backs

Another possible concern on this offense is potential regression from Javonte Williams, who surprised a lot of people en route to a season in which he rushed for 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns on 252 carries (4.77 YPC), with 3.56 yards per carry after contact, a 56.3% carry success rate, and a 21.4% missed tackle rate. That didn’t completely come out of nowhere, as Williams was a second round pick in 2021 by the Broncos and averaged 4.43 YPC with 3.43 yards per carry after contact, a 46.8% carry success rate, and a 31.6% missed tackle rate across 250 carries in his first two seasons in the league, before suffering a torn ACL midway through that second season in the league. In his first two seasons after returning, Williams fell to a 3.62 YPC with 2.58 yards per carry after contact, a 43.0% carry success rate, and a 15.2% missed tackle rate across 356 carries, before bouncing back in a big way last season. 

Williams is still only going into his age 26 and it is possible he will pick up where he left off last season, now totally past his injury, but his inconsistent history is at least somewhat a reason for concern. The Cowboys also don’t really have much depth behind Williams, with their #2 back last season being Malik Davis, a 2022 undrafted free agent with just 90 carries and 8 catches in four seasons in the league, and the only other notable running back on their roster being Jaydon Blue, a 2025 5th round pick who played just 78 snaps as a rookie. The Cowboys’ offense would be in trouble if Williams got hurt or regressed.

Even if Williams does not regress, the Cowboys don’t have a good receiving option at running back. Williams averaged just 0.40 yards per route run last season with a 35/137/2 slash line on 51 targets and, in his career, he has averaged just 0.98 yards per route run. Davis played 57.1% of his snaps in passing situations, but he wasn’t any better, averaging just 0.30 yards per route run, while Blue averaged 0.21 yards per route run. The Cowboys could have a solid running game again, but that is not a guarantee and, even in a best case scenario, none of their running backs will contribute much in the passing game.

Grade: B-

Offensive Line

The Cowboys bring back the same five starting offensive linemen from 2025 for 2026, but at one point it looked like that might not be the case. Left tackle Tyler Guyton, selected in the first round in 2024, has been a liability in both seasons in the league and, after missing time with injury last season, was benched for the end of the season, with the Cowboys opting to move left guard Tyler Smith to left tackle and plug TJ Bass in at left guard. 

However, the Cowboys didn’t add a legitimate starting option at left guard this off-season, meaning Bass, a backup caliber player, would have to continue playing left guard if Smith moved to left tackle. They also did not add a legitimate starting option at left tackle, only using a 4th round pick on Drew Shelton, so it seems likely Smith will stay at left guard and Guyton will get another shot at left tackle. Guyton could be better in his third season in the league, but that is not a guarantee and, even if he is, he has a long way to go to become even an average left tackle.

Smith, meanwhile, has developed into a well above average starting left guard and, even though he has some experience at left tackle, it probably makes sense to leave him at the position he plays so well. Still only in his age 25 season, the 2021 1st round pick figures to remain a well above average guard for years to come and could qualify for multiple All-Pro teams before all is said and done. The same is probably the case with right guard Tyler Booker, another former first round pick on this offensive line, who immediately was an above average starter as a rookie in 2025 and has the potential to be even better in 2026.

The two non-former first round picks on this offensive line are right tackle Terence Steele and center Cooper Beebe. Steele went undrafted in 2020, but he has made 91 starts in six seasons in the league and has mostly been decent, with the exception of a 2023 season in which he was coming off of a torn ACL. Beebe, meanwhile, went in the 3rd round in 2024 and has developed into a solid starting center, making 16 decent starts as a rookie, before taking a little bit of a step forward in year two in 2025, albeit in only 11 starts, with 6 missed due to injury. He will be backed up by veteran journeyman Matt Hennessy, who has not been bad in 24 starts in six seasons in the league. Left tackle is still a big question mark, but this still looks like a solid offensive line.

Grade: B

Edge Defenders

One of the new likely starters on this defense is Rashan Gary, who the Cowboys acquired from the Packers for a 2027 4th round pick and then subsequently gave a new 2-year, 32 million dollar contract with 16 million guaranteed. Gary used to be a high level edge defender, particularly as a pass rusher, with 24.5 sacks, 33 hits, and a 17.0% pressure rate in 42 games from 2021-2023, but he has been closer to a league average edge defender over the past two seasons, totaling 15 sacks, 19 hits, and a 12.2% pressure rate in 33 games, while also regressing against the run, which is why the Packers moved on from him. Gary is only going into his age 29 season, so he has some bounce back potential, even after back-to-back down seasons, but even if he doesn’t bounce back, he should be a solid starter for his new team.

The Cowboys also added Malachi Lawrence in the first round of the draft, though he will probably play a reserve role behind Gary and 2025 2nd round pick Donovan Ezeirukau, who had a solid rookie year across 603 snaps, particularly playing well in run defense, but also adding 2 sacks, 12 hits, and a 10.5% pressure rate. Another rookie, 4th round pick LT Overton, will compete for a deep reserve role with holdovers Sam Williams and James Houston, who played 474 snaps and 305 snaps respectively last season.

Williams was a second round pick in 2022 and flashed potential in limited roles in his first two seasons in the league, with pressure rates of 13.3% and 12.0% on snap counts of 274 and 306, but he then tore his ACL and missed all of 2024 and did not have the same explosiveness upon his return in 2025, managing just a 8.9% pressure rate, while also struggling against the run. The Cowboys still brought him back as a free agent this off-season though and, another year removed from injury, still only going into his age 27 season, he has some bounce back potential in 2026, though it is worth noting that he is still pretty unproven and inexperienced, having played just 1,054 snaps in four seasons in the league. 

James Houston, also brought back as a free agent this off-season, has played even less in four seasons in the league (617 total snaps), in part due to injuries (34 games played in four seasons) and in part due to his poor run defense, but he does have a career 15.2% pressure rate in his limited action and should remain a useful situational pass rusher in 2026. This is still not a great position group, but they should be better than a year ago.

Grade: B-

Interior Defenders

The biggest addition the Cowboys have made on defense in the past year is interior defender Quinnen Williams, one of the best players in the league at his position, who the Cowboys gave up a significant portion of the draft capital they got for Micah Parsons to acquire, sending a 2027 first and 2026 second round pick to the Jets in return. Also a consistently above average run defender, Williams has totaled 39 sacks, 60 hits, and a 12.1% pressure rate in 93 games over the past six seasons, dating back to the former 3rd overall pick’s second season in the league in 2020. Still in his prime in his age 29 season in 2026, I would expect continued All-Pro level play from him this season.

After Williams was acquired last season, the Cowboys had a great trio at the interior defender position with Williams, Kenny Clark, and Osa Odighizuwa, but they opted to get some draft compensation back this off-season by trading Odighizuwa for a 2026 third round pick. He’ll be missed, especially as a pass rusher, as he had 3.5 sacks, 20 hits, and a 12.4% pressure rate last season, but having Williams for a full season, after only getting him for seven games last season, should more than make up for Odighizuwa’s absence.

Kenny Clark, acquired along with two first round picks for Parsons, had a solid first season in Dallas across 746 snaps and will remain a starter in 2026 next to Williams. Clark leaves something to be desired against the run, but he did have 3 sacks, 7 hits, and a 9.5% pressure rate last season. The problem is he is going into his age 31 season and even his solid play last season was a decline from his peak, when he had 34 sacks, 43 hits, and a 10.8% pressure rate in 109 games in a 7-season stretch from 2017-2023. If he declines further in 2026, that would hurt this defense a little and might make them regret moving Odighizuwa.

The Cowboys’ also lack depth at the interior defender position without Odighizuwa. Otito Ogbonnia was signed from the Chargers in free agency, but the 2022 5th round pick has been consistently below average on an average of just 251 snaps per game in four seasons in the league. Jonathan Bullard was also signed and he’s been a decent rotational player for most of his 10-year career, but he’s going into his age 33 season and his pass rush has really dropped off in recent years, with a combined 2.6% pressure rate in the past five seasons. He has still been a decent run defender, but at his age that could decline too this season. 

It’s also possible that LT Overton could put on some weight and move inside, where he would be needed more than on the edge, but he is still just a 4th round rookie. Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark have consistently played every down in their career, so depth probably isn’t needed that much, but they would be in trouble if Williams or Clark got hurt or if Clark declined significantly because of his age. This should still be a better overall position group than a year ago with the All-Pro caliber Quinnen Williams being there from the start this year, but trading away Odighizuwa could end up being a mistake.

Grade: B+

Linebackers

The Cowboys’ linebacking corps was probably their biggest weakness on defense last season and one of the worst linebacking corps in the league, but this is probably the group that has improved the most in the past year and not just by default. One big boost to this linebacking corps came down the stretch last season, when DeMarvion Overshown came back in week 11 from a multi-ligament tear in his knee that he suffered in week 14 of 2024. 

Overshown, 2023 3rd round pick, was a solid starter across 708 snaps in 2024 and seemed to have no ill effects from his injury when he returned in 2025. If he can stay healthy in 2026, he should remain at least a solid starter, though it is worth noting that this is the second major knee injury he has suffered in three years in the league, also missing his entire rookie season in 2023 with a torn ACL on his other knee. Additionally he missed two games missed at the end of last season with a concussion, though he doesn’t have a history of concussions.

As long as he’s healthy, Overshown will start next to Dee Winters, who the Cowboys acquired in a trade with the 49ers for a late round pick. A 6th round pick in 2023, Winters was decent across 993 snaps last season, after being decent across 398 snaps in 2024, which makes him a significant upgrade from every other linebacker on this roster last season except Overshown. Aside from Overshown, only Shemar James and Marist Liufau remain from last year’s linebacking corps and they will compete for the third linebacker spot with third round rookie Jaishawn Barham.

James, a 2025 5th round pick, was a disaster in 542 snaps last season and, while he could be better in year two, he has a long way to go to even be a decent player and, even as a third linebacker option, he is underwhelming. Liufau, meanwhile, was a 3rd round pick in 2024, but has struggled on snap counts of 520 and 200 respectively in two seasons in the league. The rookie Barham is probably the favorite for the third linebacker job by default and, as long as injuries don’t force him into a larger role, which is far from a guarantee, he should at least be decent as a rookie. At the very least, he should be better than what they had last season, which is the case for this entire linebacking corps, even if they still have concerns.

Grade: B-

Secondary

The safety position was also a big position of weakness for the Cowboys last season, with veterans Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson both struggling as the starters. Both were replaced this off-season by first round pick Caleb Downs and veteran Jalen Thompson. Downs was one of the best players in the draft and who should immediately at least be a solid starter, if not better, while Thompson has consistently been at least an average, if not above average starter in his career, starting 87 of 99 games played in his career, including all 62 he has played over the past four seasons. Still only in his age 28 season, Thompson should form a solid safety duo with the rookie Downs, which is a huge upgrade from a year ago.

Wilson is gone, but Hooker remains and could still play a role in sub packages, when the Cowboys may want Downs to move to the slot. Hooker has mostly been at least a decent starter in his career, but he had a down year last year and now he is going into his age 30 season with a significant injury history, missing 35 games in 9 seasons in the league, so it is very likely his best days are behind him. He might not be bad in a situational role as a third safety though and, at the very least, not having to rely on him as an every down starter will be a boost for this defense.

Cornerback was also a position of weakness last season and, while they did add Cobie Durant in free agency, he is only one player and a marginal one at best, which is part of why the Cowboys could use three safeties together frequently in sub packages. Durant has started 38 of 48 games in the past three seasons and, even as a marginal starter, he should be an upgrade over what the Cowboys had at cornerback last season opposite Daron Bland, their de facto top cornerback, who remains as the starter opposite Durant this season. 

Bland seemingly had a breakout year in 2023, when he led the league with 9 interceptions in his second season in the league, after also having 5 interceptions as a rookie, but injuries have cost him 13 games over the past two seasons and have seemingly limited him when on the field, leading to him intercepting just one pass in 2024 and 2025 combined. He’s also consistently given up plays in the passing game, even in the seasons where he had high interception totals, so if he isn’t intercepting passes at an above average rate, he is a liability. Only going into his age 27 season, he has some bounce back potential in 2026 if he can stay healthy, but that is not a guarantee.

Other options at cornerback behind Durant and Bland include Shavon Revel, a 2025 3rd round pick who struggled mightily across 334 snaps as a rookie, but who could be better in year two, another year removed from a torn ACL that ended his final collegiate season and caused him to fall in the draft, Reddy Stewart, a 2024 undrafted free agent who predictably was a liability when forced into 519 snaps last season, after only playing 18 as a rookie, and Devin Moore, a 4th round rookie who is unlikely to be ready to contribute in a positive way in year one. Like every position group on this defense, this unit should be better in 2026 than 2025, even if they still have concerns.

Grade: B-

Kickers

One of the strengths of this team last season was the kicking game, where Brandon Aubrey was once again one of the best kickers in the league, as he has been in every season since his first season in the league in 2023. His 21.19 points added above an average kicker ranks fourth in the league over that stretch and he has exceeded 5 points added above an average kicker in all three seasons. Even that might not fully capture how great he has been, as already holds the NFL record with 6 made field goals of 60 yards or longer and. Expect more of the same greatness in 2026.

Grade: A

Conclusion

The Cowboys have completely remade the league’s worst defense from a year ago and should be at least a passable unit on that side of the ball this season. Their offense might not be as good, given quarterback Dak Prescott’s history of injury and inconsistency, the uncertainty of wide receiver George Pickens’ contract status, and potential regression from running back Javonte Williams, but they at least have all of the same key personnel on offense from a year ago as of right now. At the very least, this team looks likely to be in the mix for a playoff spot in 2026.

Prediction: 10-7, 2nd in NFC East