Troy Aikman is buying into the Cowboys’ 2026 buzz.
The Dallas legend made that much clear Tuesday on “The Rich Eisen Show,” where he said he sees a team that could be on the rise as the season stretches toward the postseason.
"I'm excited about Dallas, I really am," he said. "They potentially could be a real contender as we move through the rest of the season and then into the postseason."
For Aikman, the biggest reason for optimism starts on defense. He believes the Cowboys have addressed that side of the ball with the changes they’ve made, and he singled out new defensive coordinator Christian Parker as a key part of the shift.
"From what I can tell, I believe they have (fixed the defense)."I think they made a really good hire in Christian Parker; time will tell. But I know from experience, what Dallas has done over the last several years when they've needed a defensive coordinator, they've kind of gone back to a defensive guy who had been a head coach," Aikman said.
He said that approach can matter because a first-time coordinator can bring a different edge.
"And whatever their reasoning is for that is irrelevant," he added. "But sometimes when you hire a guy who's never done it before, there's an energy and an urgency that that coach brings. And I sense that Christian Parker has brought that."
Aikman also pointed to the way players have responded to Parker, noting that Brian Schottenheimer recently said Parker had players coming to his door during the offseason to talk with him.
"(The players) are excited about it," Aikman adds. "I think this defense... not only do I think they're going to be a lot better than they were a year ago, I think they're going to be a competitive group that could be certainly above average."
He didn’t stop there. Aikman said the offense still has the ingredients to be one of the league’s best, but he flagged the offensive line as a concern after Tyler Smith’s thumb surgery sent him to IR for at least the first four games.
He also brought up Dak Prescott’s injury history, which has shown up in even-numbered years since 2020.
"And then can the offense continue to do what they've done?" Aikman asked.
"There's no reason to think that they can't. Offensive line took a hit this week.
And then the key, of course, as it is for every team, is can they keep the quarterback healthy? And Dak, he has had some injury issues over the years and I think that's the frustrating thing for Cowboys fans is last year he was healthy, the offense played exceptionally well and yet they failed to make the postseason.
But all those things will be key once again."
Even with those questions, Aikman sounded encouraged by the Cowboys’ overall offseason.
"I know people are really excited about this football team," Aikman said. "I know the front office is, Jerry Jones, Stephen Jones. They feel like they've done a lot of good things and I would agree with that assessment."
There are still some clear concerns up front. T.J.
Bass would be a step down from Smith, even if he remains a capable player, and the tackle spots remain shaky with Tyler Guyton and Terence Steele not having been adequate in recent years. Dallas does at least have a better backup option now in Broderick Jones, who comes with his own questions but is still viewed as an upgrade over Drew Shelton and Nate Thomas.
That said, Aikman’s belief in the defense matters. The idea all offseason has been that even an average unit on that side of the ball could be enough to get Dallas back to the postseason. If the defense is better than that, the Cowboys could be looking at something bigger.
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Cowboys Could Be Watching A Costly Secondary Opportunity Develop
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But the latest word out of Pittsburgh is that the Steelers may simply hold onto Porter, even as contract talks remain at an impasse and his status for the start of the season is unsettled. For Dallas, that creates a familiar kind of waiting game, the sort where a promising secondary upgrade can shift from realistic to unlikely in a hurry, depending on how another team chooses to handle its own long-term plans. [Read more 🡒]