Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones has shown signs of a changed man entering a pivotal offseason for his club. He appears to have learned from past mistakes, which is great, but it's time to see him prove it.
It's no secret that Jones' decision to trade superstar pass rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers this past summer was widely unpopular. There's no need to relitigate that extremely questionable move.
With that in mind, FOX Sports' Ralph Vacchiano ostensibly believes how the Cowboys proceed is the only thing that matters now.
So, Vacchiano raises a very valid question that Jones must address in the coming months: can the Cowboys "replace what they lost" in Parsons?
NFL reporter turns up the pressure on Jerry Jones' Cowboys to replace Micah Parsons
The NFL reporter also stressed something that "can't said enough." Vacchiano highlighted how the "Cowboys have the makings of a championship offense, but they have the exact opposite of that on defense." He believes the absence of a bona fide one-man wrecking crew was the root of the problem, which doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand.
Jones can be happy with the haul, including veteran defensive tackle Kenny Clark, and financial flexibility he received for Parsons. After all, the newfound draft capital also propelled Dallas acquire another standout interior lineman in Quinnen Williams. Be that as it may, the Cowboys' lack of edge presence reared its ugly head in 2025 and cost them a shot at being competitive.
In order to avoid the same fate in 2026, Vacchiano urges the Cowboys "to focus all their attention on adding defensive playmakers and depth" this offseason. If not, Dallas opens itself to continuing to be on the wrong side of shootouts almost weekly.
Parsons helped everything fall into place in Dallas. His disruptive efforts gave other pass rushers one-on-one matchups to exploit and the secondary opportunities to force turnovers. The perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate even highlighted how he's never played without a Pro Bowl or All-Pro cornerback when arriving to Titletown.
As Vacchiano reminds us, "neither of [Clark and Williams] are the kind of impact player that Parsons is." There are levels to the game, and the Cowboys are experiencing that firsthand; a woeful stop unit was their downfall this season. Opposing offenses were met with virtually no resistance, rendering Dallas’ ability to score in bunches a last resort instead of the superpower it truly is.
Vacchiano believes Dallas is "extraordinarily weak" on Clark and Williams' side of the ball beyond the two hog mollies, and it's hard to disagree. No team allowed more points, and only two squads gave up more yards.
Yeesh.