Overview
- In the late offseason the Cowboys reshaped a struggling unit by adding edge rushers Rashan Gary and Malachi Lawrence, signing safety Jalen Thompson, trading for Dee Winters, and using two first-round picks on Caleb Downs and Malachi Lawrence.
- The NFL released Dallas’s full 2026 schedule in mid-May and early June reporting confirmed a Week 3 international game in Rio de Janeiro against the Ravens, which forces a long flight and a quick return before a short-rest road game the following week.
- Sportsbooks moved some Cowboys futures toward the Over on win totals and tightened Super Bowl odds after the roster changes, with DraftKings lines showing notable movement between February and early June.
- National outlets labeled Dallas a ‘buzzy’ buy if the defense improves, with projections ranging from cautious optimism to a 9–8 forecast, but all national coverage stresses that the team’s ceiling depends on how fast the new defense and coordinator Christian Parker gel.
- The backdrop is a 2025 season that ended 7–9–1 with an elite offense and a bottom-ranked defense, so the immediate impact will be judged by early-season cohesion, injury risk from added travel and performance in several nationally televised games.