There is no denying the Cowboys are improved, at least on paper, but is it enough to win the NFC East?
The Dallas Cowboys are shaping up to have a far better season than last year, thanks largely to their defensive changes.
We already know what we're going to get from Dak Prescott and the offense now that George Pickens is signed for 2026, but the defense is where all the eyes are.
New coordinator Christian Parker has the feel-good vibes flowing at The Star after being poached from the Philadelphia Eagles, and with the free-agent additions and draftee Caleb Downs, all signs point to a vastly improved defense.
Now, that isn't exactly hard considering how bad Dallas was last year, but if Parker can get this group to even be competent, and not bad, the Cowboys are in with a very good shot at the NFC East crown.
We know the Eagles have had some roster changes, as well as coaching changes, so they still loom as the team to beat, but Cowboys fans will fancy their chances at dethroning the Eagles.
And as it turns out, ESPN's Eagles reporter Tim McManus thinks so too, when asked who will win the NFC East.
"The Cowboys' offense looks ready to roll and, as the Eagles know, their new defensive coordinator, Parker, has a chance to be special," McManus wrote. "The Cowboys' defense has some adapting to do of its own, but this feels like a season where Philly could take a step back while Dallas hits its stride."
Let's not forget, though, the Eagles still have a top roster, so they can't be discounted as NFC East fancies.
But for Cowboys fans, having seen how bad the team was last season, to be within a score on the road, and then beat the Eagles at home, there is enough evidence to suggest Dallas can usurp its rivals in 2026.
Washington and New York, for me, aren't in the conversation for the division just yet, but in 12 months' time, the pair could be.
But right now, it's between the Cowboys and the Eagles, and with the changes on defense, coupled with how explosive the offense can be, Brian Schottenheimer's team has all the tools to claim its first division title in three years.
Yes, the Eagles are still the team to beat right now, but I get the sense that could change over the course of the season.
And if an Eagles reporter thinks the Cowboys are a chance, then you know they definitely are.
