The Dallas Cowboys did not have the season that many had hoped for. They came into the season with playoff expectations, but never played at a high enough level on defense. Despite having one of the best offenses in football, the Cowboys’ defense, led by defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, was a disaster.
Dallas is 7-8-1 heading into the final week of the season, and it appears they will play their starters with the hopes of finishing with a .500 record. However, the Cowboys have a reason to be excited about the future as long as they make necessary changes in the offseason.
Cowboys Have Reasons for Excitement in the Future
According to PFSN, the Cowboys have reason to be excited about their future, thanks to the play of Dak Prescott and the offense around him. Prescott is having another tremendous season, throwing for over 4,000 yards and 30+ touchdowns.
The Prescott-led offense is the reason for optimism; he has wide receiver CeeDee Lamb as his top target, along with another elite pass catcher in George Pickens. Pickens is set to hit free agency, which makes his signing one of the top priorities for Dallas this offseason.
Dallas bringing back Pickens will allow them to build off what they did this season. They should once again be an explosive offense in 2026, averaging around 30 points per game. However, the changes all Cowboys fans are clamoring for are on the defensive side of the ball.
The first change that must be made is firing Eberflus. He has not done a good job with the Cowboys’ defense, and there is almost no way they can bring him back. They rank 30th in yards allowed per game (376.8) and last in points allowed per game (29.8). They will be in trouble regardless of who the defensive coordinator is.
According to PFSN’s Defensive Impact Metrics, the Cowboys are last in Defensive Impact Score with 61.1. It is hard to give Eberflus another season after seeing the results.
Cowboys Must Have an Aggressive Offseason
Dallas needs to find ways to improve its defensive personnel, and doing so via the draft and free agency is the best option. The Cowboys have two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, and they must hit on both of them.
Additionally, they can create ample cap space by releasing a few players and restructuring contracts. That will allow them to be active in free agency and acquire some starting-caliber defensive players.
Jerry Jones and company are known for bargain shopping in free agency and having underwhelming offseasons. If they do not change their ways, the Cowboys will struggle to get stops again in 2026.
