The Dallas Cowboys finished 7-9-1 in their first season under head coach Brian Schottenheimer. Despite the losing record, there were some positives to take away, mostly on offense.
Dallas had one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL during 2025, and as long as George Pickens doesn’t hold out, they will return all 11 starters. Defensively, however, there wasn’t much to get excited about.
The Cowboys’ defense struggled in every phase of the game, which led to the firing of defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus after just one year. Christian Parker takes his place, and the defensive roster has been re-tooled to fit his scheme.
That said, let’s take a look at the entire roster and see where the Cowboys got better and where they got worse.
Better: Cornerback
Los Angeles Rams cornerback Cobie Durant signals during an NFC Divisional Round game against the Chicago Bears. | Matt Marton-Imagn Images
Dallas struggled to stop anyone through the air in 2025, which is why they were expected to look for help at cornerback. They are still expected to use one of their two picks in Round 1 on a corner, but even if they went into the season with their current roster, they would already see improvement from a year ago.
The main reason for that is the signing of Cobie Durant, who had three interceptions in the regular season and three more in the playoffs for the Los Angeles Rams this past season. Durant is a quality starter who can play on the boundary as well as the slot.
Worse: Interior OL
Dallas Cowboys center Brock Hoffman celebrates after a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Falcons. | Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images
While the starting five offensive linemen will return, the Cowboys lost a key piece of the offensive line when Brock Hoffman left in free agency. Hoffman started 16 games over the past three seasons, filling in for injured players at guard and center. He always stepped in and got the job done, and while the Cowboys replaced him with Matt Hennessy and kept T.J. Bass, Hoffman’s loss could still be an issue.
Better: Safety
Arizona Cardinals safety Jalen Thompson against the Jacksonville Jaguars at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The most impressive offseason signing for Dallas was safety Jalen Thompson. He fills a major need with coverage skill at the position, but can also play in the slot if needed. Fellow free agent signing P.J. Locke can do the same. Even with the loss of Donovan Wilson, this group is vastly improved this year.
Worse: Inside Linebacker
Dallas Cowboys linebacker Shemar James lines up during the game between the Cowboys and the Green Bay Packers. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Dallas tried to sign Nakobe Dean in free agency and reportedly looked into trades, including one for Jordyn Brooks. Their moves didn’t pan out, and they suddenly have an inside linebacker corps that consists of DeMarvion Overshown, Shemar James, and Justin Barron.
The Cowboys can’t go into the season with just these three, making this a position to watch during the draft. We also still can’t rule out a post-draft trade.
Better: Outside Linebacker
Green Bay Packers OLB Rashan Gary against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Cowboys were awful on the edge in 2025, and while they haven’t gotten much better, they’re still improved. Trading for Rashan Gary gives them someone they have faith in. He’s never had 10 sacks in a single season, but the Cowboys aren’t paying him like an elite player.
Ideally, he will be the veteran on one side while a rookie rotates in on the other alongside Donovan Ezeiruaku.
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