The Cowboys have an elite offense, andif the defense can improve, will Dallas be contenders?
Yes, I can hear the skeptics out there scoffing at the notion that the Dallas Cowboys in 2026 could contend in the NFC.
But there is a realm where they do.
Of course, a lot would have to happen and go right over the coming months, but the Cowboys do have the pieces to build around as we enter free agency starting with the Monday "legal tampering period.''
We have heard Jerry Jones' "bust the budget" quote and all of the other positive things said about George Pickens as it relates to his contract status.
But there are still those, rightly so, who are unmoved until the franchise actually does something meaningful in the offseason.
You will be hard-pressed to find many people who believe, right now, that the Cowboys can contend in the NFC. Yes, the offense is good, but we don't know if that will be replicated.
Plus, we don't know how Christian Parker will fare in his first coordinator job, either.
But one person who believes the Cowboys could turn it around quickly is ESPN's Dan Orlovsky.
"I'm in the small camp that thinks that there's just another window for Dallas opening," Orlovsky said on First Take. "The NFC is wide open, even coming off Seattle dominating. There's a lot that can change throughout the offseason. If you're Dallas and Jerry Jones and you know you have a championship-caliber offense, as bad as your defense was last year, you're not that far away on defense.
"You get two or three impactful players on the edges of your defense, and at linebacker, I think you got a chance to contend right away."
First of all, the Cowboys aren't on the same playing field, at least right now, as Seattle.
And yes, Orlovsky is right that a lot can change in the offseason, citing that the Seahawks could get raided.
The Cowboys know their kryptonite is the defense, and it is easy to suggest that all offseason resources will go toward overhauling it.
Jerry stated that the team can bust the budget on defense, and our own Mike Fisher stated that Dallas is "monitoring" the situation with Maxx Crosby.
Yes, there is hope surrounding the Cowboys, given the offense and the impact Parker could have in Year 1, but right now, there is nothing to suggest Dallas will be among the NFC contenders in 2026. At least at the time of writing.
But check back with me after the draft, and we can take stock of what has actually transpired.