Cowboys Enter 2026 Season on Playoff Bubble in Week 1 Power Rankings

Entering the 2026 season, there's plenty of buzz surrounding the Dallas Cowboys, and for good reason. For the first time in years, Jerry Jones was very active in free agency and the trade market.

Jones vowed to fix their defense, which was a disaster in 2025, and got to work immediately. He fired defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus and instead of doing his norm, which was hiring former head coaches, Jones allowed second-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer to bring in a young coach with a bright future in Christian Parker.

From there, he added several new defenders, including Rashan Gary, Jalen Thompson, P.J. Locke, Dee Winters, Von Miller, and Cobie Durant. Those moves will give Parker plenty to work with as he aims to get things fixed on that side of the ball.

Offensively, the Cowboys return all 11 starters from a year ago, with the offensive tackle position being their only real concern. They even landed some insurance there as well, trading for Broderick Jones from the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Cowboys enter Week 1 at No. 14 in recent NFL power rankings

Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker at training camp at River Ridge Playing Fields. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While they still have a few questions to answer, the Cowboys are being viewed in a much better light this year than they were in 2025. That's evident in a Week 1 NFL power rankings from Bleacher Report, which has Dallas at No. 14. In the ranking, Kristopher Knox says they can be a true threat with even "moderate improvements" to their defense.

"The Dallas Cowboys had one of the NFL's most potent offenses last season. Unfortunately, they also had a historically bad defense that was the first in franchise history to surrender more than 500 points in a season," Knox wrote.

"The good news is that the bulk of last year's offense remains intact, while the Cowboys added several promising pieces to their defense in the offseason. Even moderate improvements on defense should be enough to make Dallas a legitimate playoff threat."

Dallas can gain plenty of ground to start 2026 season

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott passes the ball against the New York Giants during the first quarter at AT&T Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Cowboys got a favorable draw with their first two games as they face the New York Giants and Washington Commanders in Weeks 1 and 2. This isn't to say those will be easy wins, but both of their NFC East rivals are coming off losing campaigns.

Dallas has a chance to reel off two wins before the schedule gets tougher. That could give them confidence as they get ready to prove themselves against some of the better franchises in the league. That includes games against the Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers, and Philadelphia Eagles.

If they get through that with a winning record, there's no reason not to see Dallas climb much higher than 14.

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