Leadership and Coordinators
- Owner: Jerry Jones Jones remains the franchise’s controlling owner and most visible executive voice.
- Decision Maker: Jerry Jones — President and General Manager Jones retains final personnel authority, working with executive vice president Stephen Jones and vice president of player personnel Will McClay.
- Head Coach: Brian Schottenheimer Schottenheimer enters Year 2 after a 7–9–1 debut, needing to preserve the offense while overseeing a dramatic defensive correction.
- Offensive Coordinator: Klayton Adams Adams coordinates a physical offense built around Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and a strong interior line.
- Defensive Coordinator: Christian Parker At 34, Parker is the youngest coordinator in team history and is installing a multiple front after Dallas allowed 511 points.
- Special Teams Coordinator: Nick Sorensen Sorensen inherits elite kicker Brandon Aubrey and must maintain the unit’s field-position value.
2025 Season Recap
Dallas finished 7–9–1 and missed the playoffs for a second consecutive season despite scoring 471 points. That total would ordinarily support contention; allowing 511 made it irrelevant. The Cowboys’ first year under Schottenheimer therefore produced a clear diagnosis: the offense could compete with almost anyone, but the defense could not consistently get off the field or prevent games from becoming track meets.
Dak Prescott remained productive, and the pairing of CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens gave Dallas one of the league’s most dangerous receiver tandems. Pickens’ physical downfield play complemented Lamb’s movement, route precision and yards after catch. Javonte Williams restored credibility to the run game, while Tyler Smith and the young offensive line supplied a strong interior foundation. Dallas could create explosives and score rapidly, but game scripts often demanded near-perfection.
The defense allowed 30 or more points nine times. The prior trade of Micah Parsons removed its singular pressure threat, and the unit struggled to replace both his disruption and the communication structure behind him. Quinnen Williams improved the interior after arriving by trade, but coverage busts, missed tackles and an inconsistent edge rush persisted. The 511 points allowed were the defining fact of the season.
Brandon Aubrey remained a major advantage, extending scoring range and giving Dallas points on possessions that stalled outside the red zone. Yet even elite kicking could not offset the defensive leakage. The Cowboys were built to protect leads and instead spent much of the year trying to manufacture them again.
The minus-40 point differential made the imbalance impossible to dismiss as bad luck. Dallas averaged nearly 28 points but still spent too many fourth quarters chasing the game, which reduced the impact of its balanced offensive personnel. Opponents could attack favorable coverage leverage, stay aggressive on fourth down and trust that another scoring opportunity would follow. The offense’s productivity was real; so was the unsustainable burden of needing 30 points simply to create a conventional chance to win.
The standings offered no ambiguity about the broader failure. Dallas went 4–2 in the NFC East, better than champion Philadelphia, but performed poorly outside the division. A late loss to Minnesota reduced playoff hopes to a mathematical long shot, and a 34–17 Week 18 loss to the Giants sealed the losing record. The tie further captured the year’s inability to close games that the offense had kept alive.
The response has been comprehensive. Parker replaced Matt Eberflus and is shifting the defense toward a multiple 3–4 structure. Dallas traded for Rashan Gary, signed safeties Jalen Thompson and P.J. Locke plus corner Cobie Durant, then devoted five of seven draft picks to defense. Caleb Downs is intended to become the communication hub the 2025 unit lacked.
The Cowboys enter 2026 with a playoff-caliber offense and no plausible excuse for another bottom-tier defense. Prescott, Lamb, Pickens and Aubrey provide established excellence; Quinnen Williams, Gary and Downs give Parker premium talent at all three levels. Schottenheimer’s future will be determined by whether those pieces create a complete team rather than another high-scoring non-contender.
2025 Division Standing
- 1. Philadelphia Eagles — 11–6 (3–3 division) — Lost WC PF: 379 · PA: 325
- 2. Dallas Cowboys — 7–9–1 (4–2 division) — Missed Playoffs PF: 471 · PA: 511
- 3. Washington Commanders — 5–12 (3–3 division) — Missed Playoffs PF: 356 · PA: 451
- 4. New York Giants — 4–13 (2–4 division) — Missed Playoffs PF: 381 · PA: 439
Dallas finished second. Its 4–2 division record was the East’s best, but a 3–7–1 mark outside the division eliminated the Cowboys.
Notable 2026 Player Additions
- EDGE Rashan Gary (trade, Green Bay Packers) Gary gives Parker a proven power rusher and the front’s clearest edge threat.
- S Jalen Thompson (free agency, Arizona Cardinals) Thompson brings range, starting experience and coverage versatility.
- S P.J. Locke (free agency, Denver Broncos) Locke reunites with Parker and adds physicality plus special-teams value.
- CB Cobie Durant (free agency, Los Angeles Rams) Durant supplies slot/outside flexibility and familiarity with varied coverage structures.
- QB Sam Howell (free agency) Howell competes for the backup role and gives Dallas experienced injury insurance.
Notable 2026 Player Losses
- DT Osa Odighizuwa (San Francisco 49ers) Dallas loses a productive interior rusher, increasing the burden on Quinnen Williams and the new front.
- EDGE Dante Fowler Jr. (Seattle Seahawks) Fowler’s situational rush production leaves snaps for Gary and rookie Malachi Lawrence.
- WR Jalen Tolbert (Miami Dolphins) Tolbert’s departure thins experienced depth behind Lamb and Pickens.
- LB Jack Sanborn (Chicago Bears) Sanborn’s reliable tackling exits a linebacker group being reshaped for Parker.
2026 Draft Class
- Round 1, Pick 11 — S Caleb Downs, Ohio State Downs is an instinctive, versatile safety viewed as the defense’s future quarterback. His communication and playmaking have already stood out in camp.
- Round 1, Pick 23 — EDGE Malachi Lawrence, UCF Lawrence brings first-step juice and closing speed to the new 3–4 front.
- Round 3, Pick 92 — LB Jaishawn Barham, Michigan Barham can play inside, outside or rush; Dallas will begin him at inside linebacker.
- Round 4, Pick 112 — OT Drew Shelton, Penn State Shelton is an experienced two-sided tackle who can compete as a swing option.
- Round 4, Pick 114 — CB Devin Moore, Florida Moore offers length and athletic upside, but his injury history makes availability the central variable.
- Round 4, Pick 137 — DL LT Overton, Alabama Overton’s length and run strength fit Parker’s important 4i-technique role.
- Round 7, Pick 218 — WR Anthony Smith, East Carolina Smith’s 4.4 speed gives Dallas a developmental vertical target and special-teams candidate.
2026 Spotlight Watch
- Hot Seat — Brian Schottenheimer The defense was overhauled and the offense is already productive. Another losing season would be difficult to explain.
- Breakout Watch — Donovan Ezeiruaku More coordinated pressure around him could turn encouraging rookie flashes into significant sack production.
- Bust Watch — Malachi Lawrence Lawrence enters the league with excellent burst but is still refining his steps, counters and run-game discipline. If those technical pieces do not develop, he could remain a rotational athlete rather than become a dependable every-down edge defender.
- Team Superstar — CeeDee Lamb Lamb remains the offense’s formation-flexible target magnet and most reliable explosive creator.
Prediction
We have the Dallas Cowboys winning the NFC East with a 13-4 record and the 3-seed in the NFC.
Below is the complete 2026 regular season projections.
