The Dallas Cowboys finished under .500 for the second straight season with a 7-9-1 record in 2025, after their 2024 campaign that ended 7-10. That’s the first time they’ve had back-to-back losing seasons since the three straight 5-11 years under Dave Campo from 2000-2002.
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It was a rough season that included some really heartbreaking results, and also some really embarrassing ones. The early-season OT game against the Russell Wilson-led New York Giants and a loss to the three-win Arizona Cardinals stand out.
But those games highlighted Dallas’ season-long issue: Their defense was awful, while the offense, led by Dak Prescott, was elite. In fact, the Cowboys became the first team since 2015 to finish top two in total offense and still miss the playoffs. However, this offensive brilliance provides reason for analysts like Dan Orlovsky to be optimistic about the narrative in the Big D next season.
As long as this downtrodden Dallas group can just acquire “a piece or two” on defense, that is.
“I think the Dallas Cowboys are two defensive pieces away from being legit contenders,” Orlovsky proclaimed. “This defense was obviously historically bad last year. [A] lot of reasons why.“
"I think the Cowboys are two defensive pieces away from being legit contenders."
—@danorlovsky7 on the Cowboys being Super Bowl contenders pic.twitter.com/atw3mxaYGQ
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) February 26, 2026
Though Orlovsky didn’t say it explicitly, we know one major reason for their defensive woes: they traded their best defensive player, Micah Parsons, just before the season started. This defense became one of just seven units in NFL history to play in 16+ games in a season and give up 500+ points and 6,400+ yards.
Meanwhile, that offense ensured they topped that list with seven wins despite themselves. That said, Orlovsky insisted that the Dallas D isn’t completely useless. Through Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams, they have a solid nucleus in the middle. They just need to replace the guy they just traded and then add a couple of more quality, veteran, reliable pieces on the back end.
“They’ve got two really good defensive tackles, they need an edge player and a back-end player that are difference-makers,” Orlovsky argued. “I’m bullish on the Cowboys. I truly believe with the new defensive coordinator and two difference-making pieces on their defensive side, the Cowboys could be legit contenders.”
Orlovsky also mentioned that he believes the offense will be just as good in 2026 as it was in 2025. Of course, they will have to find a way to keep mercurial wideout George Pickens. They can tag him or sign him, but signs point to him remaining in Dallas for next season. They might be forced to do some fancy financial maneuvering to make it work on the balance sheet, though.
If that happens and they sign a solid edge player and a nice defensive back, the belief is that Dallas’ new defensive coordinator, Christian Parker, can squeeze enough out of them to support that juggernaut offense.
