It’s a cliché for Cowboys fans to say, “This is our year,” and we’ve been wrong many times before. However, with the recent trade deadline moves by the Cowboys and an impressive-looking win over the Raiders, my hope for the 2026 Cowboys is extremely high. I was actually in the stadium in Las Vegas watching this game live, cheering on my Cowboys, and I came away with extremely high hopes that the Cowboys will have a great 2026.
When the Cowboys traded away Micah Parsons, I probably wasn’t the only fan who felt that it was a disaster. Seeing a franchise player and a player on a Hall of Fame trajectory leave the building was heartbreaking. However, a few months later, I’m feeling a lot better. We were able to bring in Quinnen Williams, a player who could very well become a Hall of Famer. My excitement about Big Q was really supercharged by seeing him be an absolute menace against the Raiders. He had 1.5 sacks and set a career record for QB hits with 4.
As long as I can remember, the inside of the Cowboys’ D-Line has been a weakness of the team. But now, we have Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark, as well as homegrown stud Osa Odighizuwa. I think we can take the example of the Eagles’ stout defense, built from the inside out with Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis. Perhaps the Dallas D can be just as stout by building around our big guys in the middle.
But Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams aren’t the only returns from the Micah trade. We still have an extra first-rounder in the 2026 draft and a lot of room to maneuver in that draft. Obviously, the Cowboys’ D still has a lot of problems despite a great game against the Raiders. Replacing Micah Parsons’ impact will be nearly impossible, but perhaps a first-round edge rusher can help bridge that gap.
Meanwhile, on the offensive side of the ball, I don’t have any concerns for 2026. Dak Prescott has been playing at a really high level, and head coach Brian Schottenheimer’s offense is clearly working for him. Plus, while we were all freaking out about Micah Parsons, the Cowboys quietly made two incredible moves on offense. Javonte Williams has had a resurgence on the Cowboys, and George Pickens looks like the steal of free agency.
Against the Raiders, George Pickens physically dominated and looked incredible in person. If they can franchise tag or sign him to a long-term deal, this Cowboys offense could continue to look very scary. Micah Parsons’ not being on the books was what freed up the Cowboys to make moves like this, and it’s looking great so far. They also have plenty of talented young guys along the offensive line, including rookie Tyler Booker, who has stepped into the giant shoes of Zack Martin pretty admirably. In fact, all three Tylers have looked good, with Smith and Guyton forming a nice wall on the left side of the line. Despite Tyler Guyton’s early struggles, he had a great game against Maxx Crosby, controlling one of the best edge rushers in the world.
Overall, I will be watching with bated breath as the Cowboys navigate the 2026 draft and offseason and will be getting my hopes up. Hopefully, this year the Cowboys don’t hurt me again.
