The Dallas Cowboys, for the 2026 NFL season, at least, have a solid group in place that feels good enough to make the playoffs and perhaps make some noise. Even with the worst defense in the NFL a year ago, the Cowboys still managed to win seven games.
Getting better across the board on defense, which included bringing in Christian Parker as the defensive coordinator, could realistically have this unit playing at an average level. And with a top-10 offense already present, even mediocrity on defense brings a winning formula to the franchise.
But in the long-term, the Cowboys' strong roster does appear to have a handful of players with a chance to one day make the Hall of Fame. Let's rank those players here.
Ranking Dallas Cowboys players most likely to make the Hall of Fame
5. George Pickens, WR
George Pickens was a Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro in his inaugural season in Dallas in 2025, which were his first two individual accomplishments. He finished with 93 receptions, 1,429 yards, and nine touchdowns, all of which led the Cowboys by a good margin.
The entire point of the Hall of Fame is that it's impossibly difficult to make, and it is reserved for all-time greats. So, Pickens' odds right now are very low. But if the Cowboys manage to keep him on a long-term deal, and he replicates his 2025 season 3-5 more times, there'd at least be a discussion.
He's amassed 4,270 yards across his first four seasons and does at least have an early shot at 10,000 career receiving yards, which would help his potential HOF bid. But more individual accolades and some team success in Dallas would go a long, long way for Pickens.
4. Brandon Aubrey, K
A three-time Pro Bowler and one-time All-Pro, Brandon Aubrey is inarguably one of the best kickers in the NFL, and perhaps the very best. He's made 88.2% of his career kicks and has a long of 65, so the leg could already be an all-time great.
Honestly, the path for Aubrey feels simpler than that of other position players: sustain this elite kicking throughout his 30s, keeping the efficiency high and the consistency present. He has shown no sign of slowing down, so maybe he is well on his way.
With only three pure kickers in the Hall of Fame, though, and Aubrey's career getting started in his late-20s, it would likely take another decade-plus of high-end kicking for this to be possible. Can Aubrey do that? Cowboys fans sure hope so.
3. Dak Prescott, QB
The four-time Pro Bowler is entering his age-33 season, and while that may seem older, Prescott has won from the pocket his entire career. So, he should be able to sustain his success even further into his 30s.
Prescott has 35,989 passing yards and 243 touchdown passes in his career, which rank 32nd and 33rd all-time, respectively. What Prescott does have going for him is that there are multiple quarterbacks with fewer yards and touchdowns who are in the Hall of Fame.
Even if Prescott never wins a Super Bowl, continuing to accumulate yards and touchdowns, with a few more Pro Bowls sprinkled in, could be enough.
Of the quarterbacks with at least 50,000 passing yards, of which there are 12, five are in the Hall of Fame. But the remaining seven players are Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford, Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers, Matt Ryan, and Eli Manning, who are either still playing or not yet eligible.
And Eli Manning, who had a long career but was a thoroughly inaccurate quarterback, Brady, Rodgers, Stafford, and Roethlisberger should all get in, so Prescott hitting that 50,000-yard mark would definitely give him some stellar odds.
2. Tyler Smith, OL
One of the best young linemen in the NFL is Tyler Smith, who has three Pro Bowls and is only set to play in his age-25 season. Players along the offensive line, especially the best, typically have a much longer runway in the NFL than other positions.
There is a non-zero chance that Smith is a top guard or tackle in this league for another decade, and if the current trend holds, he could amass another 10 Pro Bowls, as he's made the Pro Bowl three years in a row.
Smith also having the ability to play both guard and tackle would go a long way here, and his youth is really the driving force.
1. CeeDee Lamb, WR
Already entering year seven, CeeDee Lamb is only 27 years old and already has five Pro Bowl and one first-team All-Pro nod. He's been a second-team All-Pro two other seasons and has 7,416 yards over 95 regular season games.
Right now, Lamb averages 1,327 yards across a 17-game season. If he did that over the next three years, he'd then have 11,397 receiving yards before age 30. What is also neat is that there are 12 wide receivers who have at least 14,000 receiving yards, and 10 of them are in the Hall of Fame.
Only Steve Smith Sr and Reggie Wayne aren't in Canton. The odds would be in Lamb's favor if he does hit that 14,000-yard mark, and given his youth and production thus far, it feels likely.
Considering Smith Sr and Wayne, the former only finished his career with five Pro Bowls and two All-Pros. Wayne had six Pro Bowls and one All-Pro. With Lamb essentially already in the same tier as those players with his individual accomplishments, it's a very real possibility that he'll fly past both with the Pro Bowls and All-Pros.
And as long as Prescott is still in Dallas and playing well, Lamb will continue to add to his career totals, making him, at the moment, the most likely Cowboy to make the Hall of Fame.
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