The Dallas Cowboys entered the 2025 NFL season hoping to emerge as a Super Bowl 60 contender. However, a decision to trade Micah Parsons one week before the season began ultimately undermined their chances of achieving that goal.
The Cowboys sputtered to a 7-10 record despite a strong, all-around season from their offense. The problem? Dallas’ defense was the league’s worst, allowing 30.1 points per game and ranking dead-last in defensive EPA per play, according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats.
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That left the Cowboys facing a mandate to adequately rebuild their defense during the 2026 NFL offseason. Otherwise, they would risk missing the playoffs a second consecutive season despite their good-looking offense.
How did Dallas do in its efforts to achieve that goal? Here’s a complete breakdown of the Cowboys’ offseason and whether the team did enough to become a contender.
Dallas Cowboys offseason report card
Free agency: B+
Dallas was more active than usual during NFL free agency even though the team didn’t make any big-time splash moves. The Cowboys instead focused on adding numerous proven veterans to aid their beleaguered defense.
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Notably, Dallas was active on the trade market. It acquired veteran pass rusher Rashan Gary from the Green Bay Packers for a late-round pick swap and also added linebacker Dee Winters from the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for a Day 3 pick.
The Cowboys also offloaded one of their many high-paid interior defensive linemen. They traded Osa Odighizuwa to the 49ers in a separate trade that netted them a third-round pick just one year after signing Odighizuwa to a four-year, $80 million contract.
Elsewhere, the Cowboys made significant additions to their secondary, with safety Jalen Thompson representing their biggest offseason acquisition. He figures to replace Donovan Wilson as the team’s starting strong safety, while Cobie Durant, P.J. Locke and Derion Kendrick will also compete for roles in Dallas’ back end.
Dallas wasn’t as active targeting offensive talent, but it did slap George Pickens with the franchise tag. He was their key free agent to retain, and doing so should have Cowboys fans feeling pretty good about what the team achieved on the open market.
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NFL draft: A-
In the lead-up to the 2026 NFL Draft, many draftniks opined Caleb Downs would be the perfect, tone-setting option and impactful playmaker for Dallas’ defense. The problem was few believed he would actually be on the board when they were on the clock.
But in the end, the positional value of safety allowed Dallas to have a shot at Downs. They traded up one spot to grab him with the 11th overall pick and gave themselves a blue-chip defender to really bring their defense together.
Dallas continued to add to its stop unit in the draft, most intriguingly adding two very different edge players – speed rusher Malachi Lawrence and big-bodied tweener LT Overton – to complete its new-look defensive line rotation. The Cowboys did a great job finding value with its selections, making this an exciting haul for the squad.
State of the roster: B
The Cowboys have one of the league’s most potent offenses. Pickens and CeeDee Lamb were one of the league’s best receiver duos last season, Javonte Williams had a bounce-back, breakout performance and Dak Prescott remains a strong starting quarterback.
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The lone glaring issue on that side is at left tackle, where Tyler Guyton has yet to prove himself. But even so, he is young and rookie fourth-round pick Drew Shelton could help replace Guyton if the 2024 first-round pick doesn’t pan out.
But how will Dallas’ defense look? On paper, it’s much better than what they put on the field in 2025. Sure, the team’s cornerback room remains a question mark, but the Cowboys have a potential star in Downs and a defensive line with one stud, Quinnen Williams, and quality depth.
If new defensive coordinator Christian Parker can get the unit to play cohesively, it’s easy to imagine it improving from a bottom-of-the-barrel unit to one closer to league average – if not better.
Also worth noting: the Cowboys have one of the league’s best kickers, Brandon Aubrey. His ability to hit field goals from long distance will improve the scoring floor of Dallas’ already good offense.
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Chance of contending in 2026: B
The Cowboys look like the top challenger to the Eagles for the NFC East title. Perhaps the Commanders will regain the form they showed during their 2024 NFC championship game run or the Giants will take a big step forward under John Harbaugh, but more likely, Dallas will be Philadelphia‘s competition for the divisional crown.
Even so, Dallas will need its defense to come together rapidly to become a legitimate contender. And if that unit gets off to a slow start, the Cowboys could find themselves behind in the division race, as they open the season with games against the Giants and Commanders.
Add in that Dallas has the fourth-hardest strength of schedule for 2026, per Sharp Football Analysis, and there are hurdles the Cowboys need to overcome to make it back to the playoffs.
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Long-term outlook and team direction: B-
The Cowboys have a narrow window for potential contention. A handful of their key players are on the older side, which won’t yet be an issue in 2026 but could become more problematic a couple of years down the line.
The area where this will be most impactful is along the defensive line, where many of their top players are in their late 20s or 30s. Clark is 30 while Quinnen Williams and Gary will each turn 29 in December, so the Cowboys will soon need some of their younger talent – like Lawrence – to become starting-caliber players.
There are fewer concerns on offense, where Prescott, who is entering his age-33 season, is the only notably older player on the roster. The bigger concerns will be deciding whether Guyton can be a franchise left tackle and finding a way to retain Pickens, who is set to play on the franchise tag this season, long term.
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Aura and vibes: B+
Nothing seems too off with the Cowboys at the moment. Many are impressed with the additions they’ve made this offseason, and the lone thing hanging over their heads for the 2026 campaign is the future of Pickens.
Even so, Dallas seems to have made the decision not to negotiate a potential extension with Pickens until after the season. The 25-year-old hasn’t shown any proclivity for holding out, so barring a change of heart there, the Cowboys will likely dodge any drama that could stem from that.
An 11th-hour curveball, like the Parsons trade, can never be ruled out with a team like the Cowboys, but for now, all seems well in the Big D.
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Overall offseason grade: B+
The Cowboys have had a strong offseason. They plugged some of their biggest holes and made a concerted effort to make much-needed upgrades to their defense.
Will those upgrades pan out in full? That much remains to be seen. But given the state of Dallas’ roster and the lack of drama currently surrounding the team, there’s certainly reason for optimism about them getting back into the postseason race.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cowboys’ 2026 offseason grades: Did Dallas fix its defense?
