The top priority for the Dallas Cowboys in 2026 will be fixing the defense.
If you want to point to the biggest reason the Cowboys aren't going to the playoffs in 2025, it's easily the defense, which is among the league's worst.
With an elite offense, one can only wonder how much different things could have been for the Cowboys this season had the defense played at even an average level.
Instead, the Cowboys rank 32nd in total yards and passing yards allowed, 28th in rushing yards and 30th in points.
As a result of the pathetic showing, owner Jerry Jones won't commit to defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus returning in 2026, nor should he. That leaves Eberflus' seat scorching hot as we prepare to go into the offseason.
While it remains to be seen if Jones is going to give Eberflus one more season, one stat in particular points to at least some kind of defensive change happening.
That stat is total points allowed. Dallas has surrendered a whopping 454 this season and there is still one more game left to play.
According to ESPN's Todd Archer, there have been six seasons in which a Dallas defense has given up 400 or more points since Jones took over as general manager and owner in 1989, and there has either been a defensive coordinator change or defensive scheme change after each one.
One thing the Cowboys must do is allocate as many resources as possible to the defense this coming offseason. Granted, we know coaching is a problem, but insufficient talent is also an issue.
The problem is that Dallas is projected to be $47.9 million over the cap in 2026.
That's why all this talk about extending George Pickens is silly. The last thing the Cowboys need to be doing is spending a boatload of money on a second wide receiver when their defense can't stop a nosebleed.
Now, don't get me wrong, Pickens was great this year, but look at where the Cowboys ended up.
The Cowboys should tag and trade Pickens and use the draft picks acquired and the money that would have went to the wideout to help address a defense that must be fixed for Dallas to rebound and become a playoff team in 2026.
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