Brian Schottenheimer’s first year at the helm in Dallas didn’t end with fireworks. A 7-9-1 record and no playoff berth isn’t what the Cowboys faithful were hoping for. But zoom out a bit, and there’s a different story unfolding-one that suggests this might just be the beginning of something promising.
Let’s start with the offense. Under Schottenheimer’s leadership, the Cowboys’ attack looked revitalized.
It wasn’t just better-it was elite at times. The inconsistency that plagued the unit in recent seasons seemed to fade, replaced by a more cohesive, confident approach.
That’s not nothing. In fact, it might be the single biggest reason for optimism heading into 2026.
On the other side of the ball, things weren’t as rosy. The defense struggled under Matt Eberflus, and at times looked completely out of sync.
But with Christian Parker stepping in as the new defensive coordinator, there’s a fresh sense of intrigue. Parker brings a different philosophy and a reputation for developing talent-two things this defense desperately needs.
Now, the Cowboys sit at a pivotal crossroads. With two first-round picks and potentially over $100 million in cap space, this offseason isn’t just important-it’s franchise-defining. Dallas has the tools to reshape its roster in a major way, but as Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith pointed out, the front office has to get it right.
“I tell you what, the moves that we make this offseason will tell me a lot, whether or not we're going in the right direction,” Smith said in a recent interview. “Because I think the trade of [Micah] Parsons and the acquisition of [Quinnen] Williams and others put us on a path and gave us an inkling that we could become something very special.”
Smith’s not wrong. That trade was bold-controversial, even-but it signaled a willingness to shake things up in pursuit of a bigger vision.
And offensively, Schottenheimer’s fingerprints are already all over this team. The foundation is there.
Now it’s about building on it.
“The offense stopped the sliding and inconsistency,” Smith added. “It started to build on a base and foundation that we should be able to step up.”
But let’s not pretend this is a finished product. Dallas still has urgent needs to address-particularly on defense. Smith didn’t hold back in highlighting that.
“We got to address George Pickens, we got to address the issues and holes of the defense,” he said. “Whether that's scheme-wise, defensive coordinator-wise, player-wise.”
He’s right again. The Cowboys need linebackers who can move sideline to sideline, defensive backs who can hold their own in man coverage, and a front seven that can consistently disrupt the pocket. And that’s before we even get to the draft and free agency.
“If we don't do right in the draft and the free agency period, we'll be having the same damn conversation next year,” Smith warned.
It’s a fair point-and one that reflects the cautious optimism surrounding this team. The Cowboys have enough talent to be dangerous. They also have enough holes to stay stuck in neutral if they don’t make smart moves in the coming months.
So where does that leave us? With a team that’s trending in the right direction, but still has to prove it can take the next step.
Schottenheimer has calmed the waters on offense. Now the front office needs to match that momentum with savvy roster-building.
The pieces are there. The resources are there.
Now it’s about execution. If Dallas nails this offseason, they won’t just be heading in the right direction-they’ll be sprinting toward contention.
But as Emmitt Smith made clear, we’ll know soon enough whether this team is truly ready to turn the corner.