Year after year, Dallas Cowboys fans routinely tell everybody that this season is their season. And every year, fans of 31 other teams laugh in their face. It’s been a simple and all too predictable cycle: preseason hype to midseason lull to either narrowly missing the playoffs or playoff disappointment. And the worst part of that cycle is their overbearing owner, Jerry Jones, who always has a whole lot to say and yet nothing to say at all.
This summer, though, Cowboys fans and haters alike have finally united behind the same idea: The 2026 season really just might be the year for the Dallas Cowboys. It’s hard to push back too strongly, when you consider how this team has grown since the shocking Micah Parsons trade last offseason. Just like the Herschel Walker trade turned Dallas into a dynasty in the 90s, the Parsons deal seems to be the first domino to fall in a chain that will allow the Cowboys to finally end their decades-long championship drought.
Why this year’s hype is different than any other for the Cowboys
It was a slow-burning offseason for Dallas. George Pickens’ franchise tag signature was delayed, the team didn’t make big splashes in free agency and they even waited until draft day to make their first trade. Through all of those moves, though, Jones and his front office addressed just about every outstanding weakness on this roster. Maybe the offensive tackle situation is still suspect, but it doesn’t seem like something that will hold them back.
The Cowboys added Cobie Durant and Jalen Thompson to bolster their secondary, which needed a lot of help. They traded for Rashan Gary to improve their defensive line and pass rush. They extended Quinnen Williams, making him the foundation of improving against the run. And they drafted exceptionally well, landing safety Caleb Downs and EDGE Malachi Lawrence. What more could you ask for?
Jones and the rest of the family built this team exactly the way they needed to. Dallas actually looks like a roster that could not only contend in the playoffs, but make a run at a championship. Sure, they have to actually prove they can win a playoff game first, but if they stay healthy, there’s no reason why they can’t be for real this season.
Dak Prescott is under the ultimate pressure to carry Dallas this season
In each of the four years Dak Prescott has been healthy since 2019, he’s passed for at least 4,400 yards and 30 passing touchdowns. He’s been in the MVP conversation two of the last three seasons, and it’s clear that when he plays his best, this Dallas team is nearly unbeatable. He has to stay on the field, but if he does, he will have officially no excuses.
This would be the worst season for Prescott to not look like an MVP candidate. The Cowboys brought back Pickens to pair with CeeDee Lamb, a top-five receiving duo in the NFL. They brought back Javonte Williams, a top-10 running back in rushing yards from last season. This offense might be the best it has been since Prescott was drafted. There aren’t many more things the Cowboys need to fall into place to be contenders this year.
It’s hard to believe preseason hype, because until the regular season starts, you really don’t have a good evaluation. That said, just like the Los Angeles Rams have been talked about like they’re going to finish the year undefeated with a Super Bowl ring, we have to talk about Dallas with some level of confidence too.
We don’t need to see this Cowboys team play to know they’re good. No Dallas team in the 2000s has been built like this year’s team. It’s one thing that Cowboys fans are saying this is their year; it’s another with NFL fans concur with them too.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
