The Dallas Cowboys have been hard to judge over the season’s first three weeks. Despite expectations being very low coming into the year, an electric offense courtesy of Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and George Pickens kept them in the game against the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, in Week 1. A victory in an Overtime shootout against the New York Giants in Week 2 further raised hopes for the year.
However, those hopes came crashing down in Week 3 after the Chicago Bears dismantled them. With Lamb also going down with an injury against Chicago, the season might be heading towards a downward spiral. But Dallas’ biggest problem through three weeks has been its defense. One analyst believes they can find a replacement for the traded-away Micah Parsons in next year’s draft.
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Can the Cowboys Rebuild Their Defense Without Micah Parsons?
Contract negotiations dominated the bulk of the Cowboys’ offseason, and the situation went from inevitable to ugly in a matter of months. Eventually, the two sides soured so that owner and general manager Jerry Jones chose to trade away the superstar edge rusher.
That move hasn’t worked out for the Cowboys through three games. Their defense, which is ranked second worst by PFSN’s Defense Impact, has taken them out of games even while the offense remains elite.
With their number one receiving target going down for an extended period of time, there is a good chance that the offense takes a significant hit as well. In that case, their focus can shift from potentially cracking the playoffs to the 2026 NFL Draft.
With two first-round picks available to them, Dallas can hope to improve their roster significantly. For Owain Jones of PFSN, that means adding help on the defensive line by adding edge rusher T.J. Parker out of Clemson.
In his latest mock draft, he explained his reasoning, stating, “With 16.5 sacks and 33 tackles for loss over his first two seasons, T.J. Parker has been remarkably productive, using his powerful, compact 6’3″ and 265-pound frame to overwhelm opponents.”
However, it’s not just the statistics that make him such an intriguing prospect. Breaking down the fundamentals, Jones added, “His hand placement exposes offensive linemen to crunch bull rushes, while his explosive first step can leave opponents grasping at air.”
The Cowboys’ defense needs improvement across the board. Starting with the defensive line is smart, as it potentially allows them to replace Parsons and immediately raise their floor as a unit.