FRISCO, Texas - Football season is getting closer and closer.
The Cowboys have departed for training camp and practices will begin later this week. That's when we'll get an up-close look at Brian Schottenheimer's second season with this revised roster and coaching staff. When we get to Oxnard, that's when we'll start to get some real answers about this 2026 Cowboys team.
But what are the questions? We've compiled our annual list of pressing questions that need answers heading into the regular season. The staff writers, consisting of Patrik Walker, Tommy Yarrish, Nick Eatman, Mickey Spagnola and Kurt Daniels, weigh in on some of the pressing issues.
Today, we'll continue the series with a look at Christian Parker's defense, and if they can make the Cowboys a Super Bowl contender in his first season calling the shots.
No.1) Can the defense make this team a contender?
Tommy: Yes, they can. The better question is if they will. As things stand right now, I don't think so. For me, it's not necessarily a knock on Christian Parker, but rather if Dallas has the personnel needed to make the jump from last in the league to good enough to help a team win a Super Bowl.
I've heard the arguments about if the Cowboys had an average defense in 2025, they would be contenders. Playoff contenders? Sure. Super Bowl contenders? I think that's a different story. I feel like your defense needs to be above average in today's NFL in order to win deep in the postseason and play in February.
Is it impossible for the defense make the jump from last to among the best in just one year? Not at all, anything is possible in this league, just look at what New England and Seattle did last year. But for now, I've still got lots of questions about some position rooms on defense and whether they'll be good enough to field one of the top units in the league. I think the Cowboys made the right choice in hiring Christian Parker, but it may take some time to get the right pieces around him in order to help build a defense that truly could help Dallas play later on into the postseason.
Nick: I think the wording of this question is backwards to me, only because I think the offense will make this team a contender. That's how good the offense is, but it's the defense that will make or break this season and make them legitimate or not.
I do think the defense is going to be much better, but then again, is there another choice? We'll see if they can get a consistent pass rush, that's the key for me is seeing how they get to the quarterback on a consistent basis. If that happens, then I would imagine the linebackers are better, the secondary is better and so on. But they have to figure out a way to get pressure on the quarterback.
Just think about a few games last year that if they had gotten just one stop - the Panthers game, Packers game, maybe even the Bears game on that super-long drive in the third quarter... just get a stop or two and that changes the whole dynamic of the game. I think the defense will make the team better but the reason they're contenders is going to be the offense.
Kurt: A common theme has been that if the defense can just be average, the Cowboys should be contenders. But is average good enough? Among the top 10 teams for fewest points allowed in 2025, eight made the playoffs while five of the 10 that were ranked 11th to 20th (or average) reached the postseason. Only one, Chicago at No. 23, made it despite having a subpar defense. So yes, with a good offense, an average defense should contend for a playoff spot.
But in terms of raising the Lombardi Trophy, average generally won't get it done. Over the last 10 seasons, eight of those champions finished in the top 10 for fewest points allowed, and the other two were in the top half of the league. So Dallas already has to make quite a jump from a year ago just to truly contend for the playoffs. To go from dead last in points allowed to winning the Super Bowl? It's never been done before, meaning the Cowboys would have to take a historical leap.
Mickey: Better put, the defense can't become the No. 1 reason for the Cowboys not contending, and that means not finishing with a winning record; not contending to win the NFC East; not contending to win at least one, maybe two playoff games; not contending for at least their first NFC title since 1995.
Because in 2025 that defense cost the Cowboys dearly, at least a winning record, knowing they finished with a playoff-caliber offensive performance, and that includes Dak's numbers, numbers from their two Pro Bowl wide receivers CeeDee lamb and George Pickens, and a 1,201-yard rushing performance from Javonte Williams, the most single-season rushing yards by a Cowboys running back since 2019 when Zeke finished with 1,357 yards.
Now there has been a significant change in defensive personnel, an influx of defensive players drafted and not only a change in defensive coordinators to Christian Parker but a change in the entire defensive coaching staff. Now this defense must do its part to change this team's 2026 direction and not become the reason for a third consecutive losing season, and that would be an ignominious first since 2000-02 and only the second time since 1986-1990. Why before that you would have to go back to 1960-64 for only the third streak of losing seasons.
Patrik: I think it's telling that this is the No. 1 question on everybody's minds in 2026, and not the usual "can the Cowboys win the Super Bowl this year?" inquiry. That's because calling the defense abysmal last season would've been a compliment, seeing as it was far, far worse than that. Having to resist plucking out my own eyes through much of 2025 — I needed them in my head to enjoy the offensive fireworks — is not an exaggeration but, thankfully, it feels as if the tide is turning.
There's no way to know for sure until training camp and beyond, but I can say, unequivocally, that the energy/aura surrounding the defense under Christian Parker is a complete 180-degree turn from what it was under Matt Eberflus. The players are fully bought in (that never once happened in 2025), there's a hunger to get on the field as soon as possible and the schematics combine with how the defensive staff has been constructed to fuel a rightful optimism. Can they match serve with the Cowboys' offense to make Dallas a contender? My answer is yes — the real question being how quickly will it happen? Let's all find out together.
