(Editor's Note: Time to check the mail! The DallasCowboys.com staff writers answer your questions here in 'Mailbag' presented by Miller Lite.)
I read your 20 Questions piece about whether the defense will be good enough to contend. Well, what does a successful defense look like to you? I haven't seen the Cowboys defense be constructed like this since I've started watching them. I love seeing all these run stoppers. – Wes Harrison*/Mansfield, TX*
Nick: Well, to me a successful defense means that occasionally - not every week - but at least you have the ability at times to win because of the defense. Last year, they had eight games (seven wins and a tie) that didn't result in a loss. I think you can realistically say that none of those games were a direct result of the defense.
The defense
Patrik: I'm on record saying I believe it will not take the Cowboys' defense a half-season or more to fully materialize as one of the best in the NFC East. Given the defenses in this division, if Dallas can achieve that, they'll inherently find themselves being one of the best in the entire conference, I can objectively see them being in the top-15 before mid-October, and it'll be predicated largely upon Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark leading the charge upfront.
If the linebacker corps can step up (especially if a healthy DeMarvion Overshown has a breakout season), it will allow Caleb Downs and the secondary an easier task of impacting the back end. Before it's all said-and-done, Christian Parker might well have a top-5 defense on his hands ... but that might be a 2027 thing ... unless Jerry Jones fires off one more nuke (blockbuster trade) on defense before Week 1, like he's leaning toward doing.
Mailbag
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