Anyone who watched the Dallas Cowboys in 2025 knows that the offense wasn't why they missed the postseason for the second straight year.
With George Pickens and Javonte Williams having better campaigns than anyone could have hoped for alongside the already-dangerous duo of Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, America's Team ranked second in the NFL in total yards per game (391.9) and seventh in scoring (27.7).
The defense, meanwhile, was absolutely atrocious, allowing the third-most total yards (377.0) and the most points (30.1) per contest. Their 511 total points given up go for the most in franchise history and the sixth-most by any team in 100-plus years of NFL action.
Naturally, defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus was fired and replaced by Philadelphia Eagles passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach Christian Parker.
Caleb Downs and Malachi Lawrence are expected to contribute to the Cowboys immediately
As such, when Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon recently used one sentence to describe what the "dream 2026 season scenario" would be for each of the 32 NFL clubs, it wasn't a surprise that he chose to focus on the defensive side of the ball when discussing Dallas.
It also shouldn't surprise anyone that he brought the Cowboys' pair of first-round picks into the mix in his scenario:
"Rookies Caleb Downs and Malachi Lawrence make an immediate impact as the defense takes a huge leap forward under new coordinator Christian Parker, and that newfound balance leads to a deep playoff run."
Yeah, I think it's safe to say Dallas fans would go for this, wouldn't you?
First of all, Parker will be a breath of fresh air in Big D, as he'll basically be reconstructing the entire unit, moving to a 3-4 hybrid that will look so much different than what fans saw from Eberflus this past year, which was effectively the same look time and time again, even when it wasn't working.
So, there's that.
As for Downs and Lawrence, there's no question that both will be expected to come in and contribute immediately. This is especially true for Downs, who will be tasked with reshaping a secondary that surrendered 251.5 passing yards per game in 2025, unsurprisingly, the most in the NFL.
The Ohio State superstar will be bouncing all over the field, so he should fit beautifully in Parker's scheme. But don't discount what Lawrence brings to the table, as the UCF alum was one of just seven FBS players in the entire country to record at least 5.0 sacks in each of the last three years.
He won't get the snaps Downs will early on, but he'll unquestionably strengthen the Cowboys' pass-rush attack, which will also benefit from the acquisition of veteran Rashan Gary. And let's certainly not forget that Dallas gets a full season of Quinnen Williams, which helps every aspect of that group.
With Pickens and Williams both back to once again complement Prescott and Lamb, the Cowboys' offense should be just as good, if not better, than it was this past year. And if the defense does what it's capable of under Parker's supervision, this dream scenario that calls for the Cowboys to make a deep playoff run could very well come to fruition.
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