The Dallas Cowboys left the 2024 season with the promise of getting back a healthy quarterback in Dak Prescott. Prescott missed more than half of that season, and as Cowboys Wire has pointed out, he tends to do that every even-numbered year, and bounce back in odd years. The hope was that would lead to a successful campaign, and while Prescot followed the pattern, the Cowboys defense was so bad that it didn’t matter.
Dallas followed up a 7-10 campaign with a 7-9-1 one, missing the playoffs in Brian Schottenheimer’s inaugural season. There was a lot of “feel good” surrounding the job Schottenheimer did, and with a new defensive coordinator in Christian Parker, many feel the club now has the brain trust to return to the postseason as true contenders.
Or do they? Following Seattle’s Super Bowl win over the Patriots on Sunday, most national outlets trotted out their too-early power rankings for the 2026 season. Of course this is prior to the major upheavals rosters will undergo in free agency and the draft, but it’s interesting that most outlets dropped the Cowboys in right where they left 2025.
The Cowboys were the 12th-worst team this past season, and that’s pretty much where these outlets placed them. If the team had a similar experience of missing the playoffs, would Schottenheimer survive to a third season?
Bleacher Report : No. 18
The Dallas Cowboys have a lot to sort out this offseason if they hope to return to relevance in 2026. Replacing defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus was a good start, though it remains to be seen if Christian Parker will be an upgrade.
Dallas also needs to clear cap space, figure out a way to re-sign or replace George Pickens and Javonte Williams, and find more defensive help.
If the Cowboys can successfully navigate their offseason, they can take a step closer to being a complete team. However, they’re likely a year or two away from challenging the NFC’s best. — Knox
ESPN : No. 18
Offseason in three words: Fix the defense
There is a lot of work to do, but the Cowboys started by hiring 34-year-old Christian Parker at defensive coordinator and an almost entirely new coaching staff. Now, they have to find Parker more talent after the defense allowed 511 points in 2025. They have two first-round picks (Nos. 12 and 20). They can be more aggressive in free agency depending on how they want to handle their salary cap. But they also need improvement from players already in-house, such as linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, cornerback Shavon Revel Jr., defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku and cornerback DaRon Bland. — Todd Archer
Yahoo! Sports : No. 17
Dallas has to practically build a defense from scratch after last year’s debacle. They do have Quinnen Williams in the middle of the line as a start, and maybe new coordinator Christian Parker will lift the unit. But it needs a lot of work. The George Pickens situation will have to come to a resolution, as it seems the Cowboys will franchise tag him and he won’t be happy. But if that is resolved, the Cowboys are in good shape on offense. Everything should be poured into the defensive side. Two draft picks in the top 20 (the second pick is from the Micah Parsons trade) will help.
USA Today : No. 20
Expect another winter, spring (maybe) and summer (maybe?) of contractual handwringing as Jerry Jones decides what to do with WR George Pickens, RB Javonte Williams, several other pending free agents and a bloated salary cap.
FOX Sports : No. 21
Their offense is so good, but their defense is so, so bad. And it’s not like they’re going to have the cap space to fix it this offseason. What you saw might be what you’ll get next season, too.
Sporting News : No. 17
The Cowboys are stuck behind the Eagles and should see the Commanders rebound and the Giants greatly improve. They got more respectable defensively late and need to build on that to consistently complement Dak Prescott in Brian Schottenheimer’s offense.
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys’ too-early 2026 power rankings roundup: Would Schotty survive?
