Dallas Cowboys 2026 NFL Season Preview

“I feel very, very good about it,” Jones says. “We have nowhere but up to go on defense. It’s not anyone’s fault at all, but we’re going to almost assuredly be much better, and I think we are betting on us improving on offense. That ought to get us with a better feeling.”

Offense

The Cowboys return 10 of 11 starters from an offense that ranked second in yards (391.9) and seventh in points (27.7) per game. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer should have an even better unit in his second year as the play-caller.

Dak Prescott has ranked as a top-10 quarterback in the league when healthy. He played all 17 games for the second time in three years, with his 4,552 passing yards in 2025 ranking as the second-most of his career, and he made his fourth Pro Bowl. Prescott, though, is only 2-5 in the postseason and, in 10 years, hasn’t come close to joining Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman in the upper echelon of Cowboys quarterbacks. At 33, and with two years of guaranteed money left on his contract, Prescott doesn’t have much time left to make it happen. The Cowboys traded for Joe Milton III in 2025 to serve as Prescott’s backup, but Dallas isn’t convinced it can win with him if Prescott is injured. Otherwise, the Cowboys wouldn’t have signed veteran backup Howell, who will compete with Milton for the No. 2 job.

The Cowboys hit the jackpot by signing running back Javonte Williams to a prove-it deal in the 2025 offseason. Williams’ 1,201 rushing yards were the most by a Cowboy since Ezekiel Elliott ran for 1,357 yards in 2019. Williams’ run of 66 yards was the longest for the Cowboys since DeMarco Murray had a 91-yarder in 2011. They re-signed Williams in free agency, and he will continue as their bell cow. Dallas failed to get much out of rookies Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah last season, but Malik Davis, in his fourth season, established himself as a reliable backup and occasional special-teamer. Hunter Luepke remains the fullback, having played 21% of the snaps last season.

The 2025 trade for George Pickens gave the Cowboys one of the best receiving duos in the NFL last season. CeeDee Lamb remains the team’s No. 1 wide receiver, but Pickens played three more games and had more targets (137 to 117), more receptions (93 to 75), more yards (1,429 to 1,077) and more touchdowns (nine to three). Ryan Flournoy won the role as the third wide receiver, and KaVontae Turpin is always a threat in his limited offensive reps.

Tight end Jake Ferguson rebounded from a down year in 2024 to set career highs in catches (82) and touchdowns (eight). He is one of Prescott’s most trusted weapons. The disappointing Luke Schoonmaker is likely in his final season in Dallas. Brevyn Spann-Ford could replace him as the team’s second tight end.

The Cowboys return their top six offensive linemen. The only questions: Who plays left tackle, and who plays left guard? Tyler Smith, the team’s best offensive lineman, will play one of the spots. He prefers to remain at left guard, but the Cowboys believe he is their best left tackle. Smith, a three-time Pro Bowl guard, started the final three games of 2025 at left tackle with Tyler Guyton out with an ankle injury. The Cowboys believe T.J. Bass is a better left guard than Guyton is a left tackle, so the team might ask Smith to play left tackle this season. Center Cooper Beebe, right guard Tyler Booker and right tackle Terence Steele return, but Hennessy, who has 64 career starts, could compete with Beebe for the starting job.

Defense

For the fourth time in four seasons, the Cowboys have a new defensive coordinator, turning to the 34-year-old Parker, the secondary coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. Parker is switching the Cowboys to a 3-4 base. Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark, whom the Cowboys acquired in trades last season, will start at the end spots, with free-agent signee Ogbonnia at nose. The trio should make the Cowboys stout against the run. They traded defensive lineman Osa Odighizuwa a year after re-signing him to a big deal, and they also moved on from Solomon Thomas. Dallas drafted Alabama’s LT Overton in the fourth round.

The Cowboys had difficulty mounting a consistent pass rush after trading Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers prior to last season. The Cowboys expect Donovan Ezeiruaku, who had only two sacks as a rookie while playing 55% of the snaps, to show vast improvement. He will start opposite Gary, whom the Cowboys acquired in an offseason trade with the Packers. Gary essentially replaces Jadeveon Clowney, who had a better 2025 than Gary. Sam Williams returns as the Cowboys’ top backup edge rusher, and they moved Marist Liufau from inside linebacker to outside linebacker. First-round pick Malachi Lawrence will compete for playing time in the rotation.

The team’s biggest weakness is inside linebacker, where DeMarvion Overshown and Shemar James are the top returning options. The Cowboys traded with the San Francisco 49ers for Dee Winters, who will compete with James for a starting job, and they will move third-round pick Jaishawn Barham to an off-ball linebacker spot.

The Cowboys have turned over their secondary in two years. DaRon Bland and Shavon Revel Jr. are the starting corners, with Reddy Steward at nickel. Bland has played only 19 games and made only one interception the past two seasons combined after leading the league with nine picks and a league-record five return touchdowns in 2023. Malik Hooker returns at free safety, and the Cowboys’ top free-agent signing, Thompson, will take over at strong safety. The Cowboys have never won a Super Bowl without a star safety, and they got that with first-round draft pick Caleb Downs. Downs, who reminds the team of Darren Woodson, will play all over the field.

Specialists

The Cowboys have one of the best kickers (Brandon Aubrey), best punters (Bryan Anger), best long-snappers (Trent Sieg) and best returners (Turpin) in the game. The team made Aubrey the highest-paid player at his position, which he earned with the strongest leg in football.

Final analysis

The Cowboys have a 5-13 playoff record since they last won the Super Bowl to end the 1995 season. That’s also the last time they reached the NFC Championship Game, which is the longest drought in the conference. The Cowboys could contend for a playoff berth this season, but their defense is unlikely to be good enough to get them where Jones insists he wants to go.