For the second straight season, the Dallas Cowboys were one of the 18 teams to miss out on the NFL Playoffs, posting a 7-9-1 record in the first year of the Brian Schottenheimer era.
The offense certainly wasn't the issue, as America's Team ranked second in the NFL in total yards per game (391.9) and seventh in scoring (27.7). The Cowboys got a fantastic campaign from Dak Prescott, who finished third in the league in passing yards (4,552) and fourth in touchdown passes (30), had a 1,000-yard rusher in Javonte Williams (1,201), and had a pair of 1,000-yard receivers in George Pickens (1,429) and CeeDee Lamb (1,077).
The Dallas defense, on the other hand, was one of the worst in the league, allowing the third-most total yards (377.0) and the most points (30.1) per contest. As such, Matt Eberflus was fired just two days after the regular season ended, thus putting the Cowboys in a position where they need to find a new defensive coordinator for the third time in as many offseasons since Dan Quinn's departure following the 2023 campaign.
January 28 will mark exactly 30 years since Dallas last won (or even played in) a Super Bowl, and FanSided's Nick Villano doesn't have much faith in the Cowboys' chances to contend for the Lombardi Trophy during the 2026 season.
Villano recently took the time to rank the 18 non-playoff teams, with the overall criteria being how close each is to contending for a championship. And Dallas didn't fare very well, finishing just outside the top 10 in 11th place.
- Detroit Lions
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Baltimore Ravens
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Indianapolis Colts
- New York Giants
- Atlanta Falcons
- Washington Commanders
- Minnesota Vikings
- Dallas Cowboys
- New Orleans Saints
- Miami Dolphins
- Arizona Cardinals
- Tennessee Titans
- Cleveland Browns
- New York Jets
- Las Vegas Raiders
Looking at the list, it's tough to argue with most of the teams ranked ahead of Dallas, especially their NFC East rivals.
The Washington Commanders had a tough time of it in 2025 with the injuries to Jayden Daniels, but are just one year removed from an appearance in the NFC Championship Game. And the New York Giants, of course, should be far better than they've been in recent years, with the hiring of Super Bowl-winning head coach John Harbaugh and a roster loaded with talented young players.
The only one with which I might disagree at this point is the Atlanta Falcons, but we'll just have to wait and see how things play out with two-time NFL Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski stepping in.
As for the Cowboys, they're facing an offseason in which more than 20 players are set to enter some sort of free agency, a list that includes both George Pickens, who many believe is a prime candidate for the franchise tag, and Javonte Williams. So, there are certainly some decisions to be made on the offensive side of the ball.
But given the numbers you saw above, the main focus for Jerry Jones and the Dallas front office, both in free agency and the draft (don't forget the Cowboys have two first-round picks), has to be the defense. One of the big decisions that was thought to be needed during the offseason, of course, was already made, as the team released cornerback Trevon Diggs before the regular season concluded. But cornerback isn't the only concern, as Dallas needs help everywhere.
What also shouldn't get lost in the shuffle is the fact that kicker Brandon Aubrey is a restricted free agent, so that's something to keep an eye on as well.
Jerry Jones said recently that he wants to retire as the owner who has won the most Super Bowls, but if he genuinely wants that to happen, he's going to need to do a lot of maneuvering this offseason to get his team ready to make a real run at a championship.