I’m not saying this is the Dallas Cowboys year. But what if it is? Listen, it’s late June and there’s not much going on regarding the Cowboys. I guess that’s the downside of not having any drama brewing with the George Pickens situation. 

So while we wait for training camp to come around, allow me to build this team’s Super Bowl case for you. 

The Cowboys enter the 2026 NFL season with a legitimate argument as a Super Bowl contender, and it begins with an offense that already ranked as a Top 5 unit last season. But it goes much deeper than just last year’s production. Let’s break it down.

Cowboys WR room is deeper than you think

By now, you know all about CeeDee Lamb and Pickens. The duo terrorized defenses throughout 2025, and there’s little reason to believe that slows down in 2026. But the conversation should extend beyond those two.

Ryan Flournoy’s rise last season was one of the quieter storylines in the NFL. He was cut on roster cutdown day, cleared waivers, and re-signed with the team. He wasn’t supposed to carry a significant role. And yet, when Lamb went down with an injury, Flournoy posted a 114-yard game against the New York Jets. By the end of the season, the Cowboys were even designing plays specifically for him. By midseason, he was the clear No. 3 receiver on the offense.

Contrary to last year’s offseason, Flournoy was already a big part of the Cowboys’ vision throughout OTAs and minicamp. The same will apply for training camp in late July.

The dangerous Cowboys wide receiver duo talk should shift to discuss a dangerous trio.

Then there’s Pickens, who is going to take on a larger role. Last year, the Cowboys initially leaned on what they had seen on his Pittsburgh Steelers film, but Lamb’s injury forced them to expand Pickens’ responsibilities. They asked him to be the No. 1 receiver temporarily, and he proved he could handle it.

Following an All-Pro caliber season, Dallas is talking about moving him around the formation, expanding his route tree, and adding to his repertoire. Year 2 in the system should unlock another level for one of the most exciting players on the team. .

More reasons the offense should improve

Beyond the receivers, the rushing attack could gain a dimension it lacked in 2025. Running back Jaydon Blue is emerging as a potential No. 2 back, and he brings explosiveness, speed, and acceleration that complement what Javonte Williams provides. The Cowboys were efficient on the ground last season but rarely explosive. Blue changes that equation.

There’s also the Brian Schottenheimer factor. This will be the Cowboys head coach’s second year calling the offense, and the comfort level should translate to better execution on third downs, in the red zone, and in situational football.

Is there regression risk? Sure. But consider this: In the last two healthy seasons from quarterback Dak Prescott (2023 and 2025), he’s been a top-five quarterback in football. He was an All-Pro candidate both years and the runner-up for MVP in 2023. There is not a single reason to believe the offense takes a step backward, barring injuries.

As for that Cowboys defense…

Here’s where the optimism requires a little faith, but the math is on the Cowboys’ side. Dallas fielded the worst defense in football last season. The bar for improvement is lying on the ground.

And here’s the thing, over 50% of the starters are changing. Let’s count them up: EDGE Rashan Gary, LB DeMarvion Overshown (who missed most of 2025), LB Dee Winters, S Jalen Thompson, nickel Caleb Downs, and Cobie Durant or Savon Revel Jr. at cornerback. That’s six of 11 defensive starters turning over. 

And these aren’t lateral moves, by the way. Thompson is a massive upgrade at safety. Downs is a massive upgrade at nickel. Overshown and Winters are clear improvements over Jack Sanborn and Kenneth Murray, who had awful 2025 campaigns.

And of course, there’s the coaching side of things. Former defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus was dealt a terrible hand, but he played it worse. The Cowboys talked about scheming pressure in the offseason and then generated almost none of it consistently. The defense didn’t create takeaways. Players complained that coaching didn’t incorporate their input. There were fallouts with players like Trevon Diggs.

Parker brings a scheme with proof of concept. The Vic Fangio defensive tree in today’s NFL is the equivalent of the Shanahan-McVay offense on the other side of the ball. It works when the personnel fits, and the Cowboys spent the offseason making sure it does.

The best part? There’s no rush for the defense to reach its peak. Defenses with new schemes famously take time to gel during the regular season. The Cowboys’ defense just needs to reach its ceiling by the playoffs, because that’s historically where Dallas collapses. They make the postseason with a strong offense, and the defense falls apart. That’s what happened even during the Dan Quinn years.

Can Parker’s defense be locked in when January arrives? That’s the question. I’m not predicting a Super Bowl title. But if you need a reason for optimism before the Cowboys report to training camp on July 28 in Oxnard, California, there it is.

Now we wait.