The NFL’s annual coaching carousel is spinning fast, and in the NFC East, it’s already reshaping the competitive landscape. The Dallas Cowboys are knee-deep in their search for a new defensive coordinator, but they’re not alone-every team in the division is shaking things up. The New York Giants made the biggest splash by landing John Harbaugh as their new head coach, while the Commanders and Eagles are also making key changes to their coordinator positions.
But amid all the turnover, one thing stands out: the Cowboys have something no one else in the NFC East does-continuity between their quarterback and offensive play-caller. That might not sound flashy, but in a division where every other team is hitting reset on at least one side of the ball, it could be a massive advantage.
Dak Prescott and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer will enter their second season together in 2026, the only QB-OC pairing in the division that remains intact from last year. That stability could be the foundation Dallas needs to take a real step forward-especially after going 4-2 in division play in 2025.
That included a narrow loss to the Eagles in Week 1 and a meaningless Week 18 loss to the Giants, where Prescott didn’t even play the second half. Notably, New York’s win in that game cost them the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.
Yes, the Cowboys’ 7-9-1 record under Schottenheimer in Year 1 was a letdown. There’s no sugarcoating that. But if you zoom out and consider the preseason expectations and the chaos now unfolding around the rest of the division, there’s a case to be made that Dallas is quietly positioning itself for a bounce-back year.
Let’s not forget: just a season ago, the Commanders and Eagles were riding high. Washington was led by a rookie QB and a staff full of former Cowboys coaches, while Philadelphia was fresh off a trip to the NFC Championship.
The narrative at the time? The Cowboys were stuck in the rearview mirror.
Fast forward to now, and things have shifted. Dallas swept Washington in 2025, and the Eagles stumbled so badly that Jalen Hurts is now on track to have his 10th offensive coordinator in 11 seasons, dating back to college.
A.J. Brown’s future as WR1 in Philly is also murky at best.
Suddenly, the Cowboys aren’t chasing-they’re right back in the thick of the fight.
Of course, for Dallas to truly contend, it still comes down to one thing: Prescott has to be the best quarterback on the field. That storyline might feel played out, but it’s still relevant.
Prescott’s 2024 season was derailed by injury, and in 2025, he was asked to carry a team with a defense that gave up more than 500 points-the worst mark in franchise history. That’s not a winning formula.
The good news? The path forward is clear.
The Cowboys don’t need a top-five defense to turn things around-they just need a competent one. A unit that can bring opposing quarterbacks down a notch, force some turnovers, and give Prescott a chance to operate with a lead instead of constantly playing from behind.
Think back to the Dan Quinn days: opportunistic, aggressive, and complementary to the offense. That’s the blueprint.
Look at the Bears this season. They led the league in takeaways under Dennis Allen and unlocked Caleb Williams thanks to Ben Johnson’s offense. That’s the kind of synergy Dallas should be aiming for.
On offense, the Cowboys showed flashes of what they could be. Even while playing from behind more often than not, Prescott still connected on big plays with CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, and rookie Ryan Flournoy. All three receivers made consistent contributions, and keeping that trio intact-starting with re-signing Pickens early this offseason-should be a top priority.
There’s also momentum building in the run game. Javonte Williams is reportedly a re-signing priority, and if he’s back, Dallas has the pieces to re-establish a ball-control offense that can set up the play-action and deep shots that Prescott thrives on. That’s not just theoretical, either-time of possession mattered in Wild Card weekend, where all but one team that won the clock battle also won the game.
What really gives Dallas a leg up heading into 2026, though, is their offensive depth. The Cowboys have made the mistake in past offseasons of plugging one hole only to see another open up. They’ve been burned by assuming too much about their depth, leading to situations like relying on Allen Hurns to be a WR1.
But this year, they’re in a much better spot. Phil Mafah and Jaydon Blue flashed late in the season at running back.
Along the offensive line, guys like Nate Thomas, Brock Hoffman, T.J. Bass, and Hakeem Adeniji all stepped in when needed.
Tyler Booker was a plug-and-play rookie starter at right guard. At tight end, Brevyn Spann-Ford and Luke Schoonmaker still have room to grow.
These aren’t just warm bodies-they’re legitimate contributors who can help Dallas weather the inevitable attrition of a long season.
That depth gives the Cowboys flexibility. They can focus their offseason resources on rebuilding the defense without having to scramble to fill holes on offense. That’s a luxury, and it’s one they’ve earned by developing their young talent and sticking with their offensive identity.
The Cowboys don’t need to overhaul everything. They need to fix what’s broken-namely, the defense-and let the pieces they already have on offense continue to grow. With Prescott, Schottenheimer, and Klayton Adams all returning, Dallas has a rare edge in a division full of new faces and unfamiliar playbooks.
There’s no guarantee it all clicks in 2026. But for once, the Cowboys aren’t starting from scratch. They’ve got a head start-and in a division where everyone else is still figuring things out, that might be the most valuable asset of all.