The Dallas Cowboys are a far different team these days than they were during the Jason Garrett era. 

Head coach Mike McCarthy has produced back-to-back seasons of 12 wins, making the Cowboys a viable threat in the NFC. Work still needs to be done at spots like left guard, cornerback, and defensive tackle to name a few, but Dallas has compiled a very formidable roster.

So much so, Betonline.ag has the Cowboys with the fifth-best odds to make the playoffs in 2023. Only the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, and New Orleans Saints have better chances of making the postseason in the NFC.

It's been a change from the norm in a sense for the Cowboys this off-season. Yes, they did their usual retainment of in-house free agents, but this year they've been impactful re-signings. 

The best of the bunch was safety Donovan Wilson who inked a three-year deal after a career season with 101 tackles, an interception, two passes defended, two forced fumbles,  and a fumble recovery last season. With the depth issues at linebacker, bringing back Leighton Vander Esch was another key move. 

Dallas took care of the trenches on defense from within also. Edge rusher Dante Fowler signed a one-year deal after logging six sacks without a single start all season in 2022. Nose tackle Johnathan Hankins, after much speculation, was also re-signed last week.

Then there's the Cowboys' work in the trade market. First, they pulled a fast one by snagging five-time Pro Bowl cornerback Stephon Gilmore for just a fifth-round compensatory pick. Less than a week later, wide receiver Brandin Cooks was acquired for only a fifth-round pick this year and a sixth-rounder in 2024, shrewd business with those moves.

As the NFL draft inches closer, the Cowboys can now navigate how they want to instead of having specific positions they need to hit on and have them contribute immediately like in years past.