5 Burning Questions Ahead of Cowboys vs. Seahawks

All eyes have been on new defensive coordinator Christian Parker and his ability to turn things around after a historically-bad season for the Dallas defense last year under Matt Eberflus. The Cowboys made multiple trades and free agent signings in order to address this, along with drafting rookie safety Caleb Downs in the first round, but it remains to be seen how the unit will look in 2026.

That said, early indications from training camp show that the Cowboys are trending in the right direction, evident by the defense’s strong performance in a recent joint practice with the Los Angeles Rams.

What is the Cowboys’ plan for quarterback against the Seahawks? Will Dak Prescott play?

Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer has already confirmed that Dak Prescott and almost all of the other starters won’t play in the preseason. Expect to see Prescott on the sideline with an earpiece.

I expect Joe Milton III to get the start, but it’s former Seahawks quarterback Sam Howell that will likely end up winning the QB2 job headed into the regular season. Expect both him and Milton to let it loose against the Seattle defense as both continue their position battle over the next few weeks.

Who is the rookie you are most looking forward to watching in his debut?

It’s an obvious answer, but Caleb Downs. The hype around him has been building all offseason, and he’s already showed he’s capable of living up to it by making multiple impressive plays against CeeDee Lamb during training camp. He will likely only play a series or two, but watching him in full uniform for the first time should be making Cowboy fans giddy.

Who is one player the Seahawks should keep an eye on going into the game?

Cowboys rookie defensive tackle LT Overton. He's continued to make plays during training camp after being a fourth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. With Dallas' elite interior of Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark and Rashan Gary not expected to play, expect Overton to see some ample action against the Seahawks. Don't be surprised if he wrecks some havoc against the second and third-team Seattle offensive line.

What’s one bold prediction you have for the matchup?

Cowboys running back Israel Abanikanda will have a big day. Maybe 100 yards and two touchdowns should do it. The conversation about who will backup Javonte Williams this season has focused on second-year backs Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah along with practice squad veteran Malik Davis, but Abanikanda has been solid as of late in training camp and could make up some ground against the Seahawks