Cowboys COO Stephen Jones is confident in the work the team has done this offseason and is bullish on what 2026 can bring.
You will be hard-pressed to find many Dallas Cowboys fans who are entirely happy with the work the franchise has done this offseason.
Yes, it has been good, with a handful of impactful starters being signed, but there is a sense that more has to come.
Then again, we haven't had the draft yet, so Dallas' offseason could get a whole lot better.
But as things stand, you can make the case that the free agency signings, along with the Christian Parker hire, have put the Cowboys in a better spot defensively than they were last year.
Of course, that is subjective.
But what gives Cowboys COO Stephen Jones confidence that this team is in good shape heading into 2026?
“Just our work in the offseason,” Jones said. “We had a great search in terms of revamping our defensive staff. So I feel very optimistic about that and what we can get done there.
"Certainly feel good about our start with our personnel, what we've done in free agency and sitting here with two (first-round picks), you feel good about improving our team. So we're very optimistic what we can do."
Some would say that is misplaced optimism from Stephen.
But does he have a point?
The secondary has been improved with Jalen Thompson, PJ Locke, and Cobie Durant, plus Rashan Gary helps the pass rusher.
That alone helps the defense. So if we add in a veteran linebacker to go with the two defensive players (we think) from the first round of the draft, Dallas could have something cooking.
And Stephen's confidence isn't blind; he's looking at last year's Super Bowl combatants as proof that it isn't about where you start, it's where you finish.
“All you have to do is look around the league and look who was in the Super Bowl this year,” Jones added. “Who would have guessed, and hats off to Seattle, to New England, the job they did, but they weren't necessarily sitting in the catbird seat this time last year."
A Super Bowl comparison to Seattle? That's a bit stunning, actually.
But ...
The big takeaway here is the Cowboys, at least internally, feel good about their business this offseason.
And perhaps the best part is that there is still plenty of time for the franchise to make deals to further improve the roster.
Can Dallas pull a Seattle or New England in 2026?
Stephen's message is ... You never know.