There has been a lot of moving and shaking at The Star this offseason, but are Schottenheimer's Cowboys a big winner?
It is hard to remember a Dallas Cowboys offseason being as positive as the one we are currently in.
The times are changing at The Star, albeit I say that with a cautious tone, as the Cowboys, in this five-week break, have no headlines, no drama, no nothing hanging over the franchise.
And that is because of the work the front office has done over the past couple of months.
The Cowboys' hiring process, which led them to Christian Parker, was lauded. The free agent signings of Rashan Gary, Jalen Thompson, PJ Locke, and Cobie Durant are all seen as good, solid players.
Then the draft accelerated Dallas' offseason grade with Caleb Downs as the centerpiece of the entire offseason.
Given the roster and coaching turnover that has transpired over the past couple of months, the Cowboys appear to be in the best spot they have been entering a training camp in recent memory.
And for The Athletic's Mike Jones, he's named Dallas as one of the biggest winners of the offseason.
"The work began last season when they traded Micah Parsons to Green Bay and acquired Quinnen Williams from the Jets," Jones wrote. "Then this offseason, the Cowboys continued to reshape their defense by trading for pass rusher Rashan Gary and adding free-agent defensive backs Cobie Durant, Jalen Thompson and P.J. Locke.
"Then they drafted safety Caleb Downs and edge rusher Malachi Lawrence in the first round and promising linebacker Jaishawn Barham in the third round.
"Retaining George Pickens on the franchise tag also ensures the Cowboys have a potent pass-catching duo for Dak Prescott to lean on. If the defensive moves pay off and Dallas can put a more balanced product on the field, coach Brian Schottenheimer’s squad could contend in the division and beyond."
So, all the right moves have been made, and there is hope and optimism that the 2026 version of the Cowboys can be one that is not only competitive but also a genuine NFC contender.
Of course, there are unknowns hanging over the defense. Will Parker be good at calling games? How long will the acclimation period be for Downs? Will the scheme work?
All of those will be answered in due time.
We know what we are getting from the offense, which should be elite play once again as it establishes itself among the NFL's best. But in truth, we won't really know if Dallas are "winners" of the offseason until we see all of the coaches and players in the regular season.
However, given how bad the Cowboys' offseason has been recently, it's rather easy to label them "winners" after what they have done in the past couple of months.
Now to see if it translates to being winners on the field.
