It's still early in this 2026 NFL season, but after five weeks, the NFC East is looking as winnable as its been in a long time. None of the Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, or Commanders look like a conference contender right now, but someone is going to make the playoffs by winning this division.
If it's not Dallas, what is that going to mean for the team going forward? And even before then, how might the seemingly soft nature of the NFC East motivate decisions in the middle of the current season?
The entire NFC East has had a rough start to 2026
From upset losses to QB injuries to coaches looking out of their depth (okay, that last one's just Dallas), little has gone right for any NFC East team thus far.
Perhaps no week illustrated this better than the last one, with not one team getting a victory. Both the Cowboys and Eagles lost their games, with Dallas handing Tampa Bay it's first win of the year, and the Giants and Commanders finished their division matchup in a tie.
To the Giants' credit, getting to 3-1-1 with Jaxson Dart missing since Week 2 is an accomplishment. But since their big season-opening win over Dallas, they've been skating by against weak competition. Their current perch in the division doesn't feel sustainable.
Everyone had the NFC East as a two-horse race between the Cowboys and Eagles going into the year, but neither has taken advantage of the current situation. Philadelphia's offense is struggling to find rhythm and execute in big moments, and its defense has been surprisingly generous.
We all know how the Cowboys have reached their 2-3 record. Squandering last Thursday's opportunity against a winless Bucs team down to an undrafted rookie QB was tragic and has clearly sent the team into introspection mode during the long break.
Could Jerry Jones make more moves to try to win the NFC East in 2026?
Things are already pointing in the direction of the Cowboys' front office trying to seize the moment. We've had the unusually active offseason last spring, the recent trade for cornerback Joey Porter Jr., and this week's addition of veteran coach Mike Pettine to Christian Parker's staff. This is arguably the most aggressive that the Jones family has been in its management of the roster in the last 20 years.
The Cowboys still have levers to pull and assets to use in the current season. They have about $15-$16 million in remaining salary cap space and premium draft picks still in supply. They might even consider moving WR George Pickens, if signing him to a long-term deal isn't in the cards for next year.
But there's a real dilemma now when it comes to mortgaging the future to try to own the present. Dallas is already thin on draft capital and has a lot of cap invested in players with suspect long-term value, such as tight end Jake Ferguson and CB DaRon Bland. How much can they keep pumping into 2026 without losing the ability to compete over the next few years?
What will failure this year mean for the Cowboys' 2027 offseason?
Another big question that Jones has to be chewing on now is whether Brian Schottenheimer is the right coach going forward. If the NFC East stays weak and ends up with a 9-8 winner, Jerry's going to have a hard time if it's not his Cowboys. With a league-leading offense and all the assets recently pumped into the defense, someone's head's going to have to roll.
Christian Parker may be closer to the chopping block, but his youth and inexperience may work in his favor. Dallas just admitted that he needs help with the Pettine hire, but will they be ready to admit that he was a bad hire so quickly?
Schotty's already had one losing season and his seat is heating up this year. He also doesn't have the history with the front office that helped Jason Garrett hang around through multiple disappointments. And with Jerry turning 84 this week, the desperation to see the mountain top again one more time is higher than ever.
Even if the Eagles or Giants were running away with the NFC East right now, many of these discussions would still be necessary. But the fact that this division is so wide open and winnable only makes the Cowboys' current situation more frustrating.
Will it prompt the Jones family to go for broke in the current season, or perhaps take an axe to key figures in January? Or maybe both?
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