Prominent NFL Analyst Doubles Down on Bold Cowboys Prediction

Dan Orlovsky is still claiming the Dallas Cowboys aren’t far from being contenders.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott warms up before the game against the New York Giants. | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky recently turned heads when he claimed the Dallas Cowboys were on the verge of opening a Super Bowl window. He admitted they needed to improve their defense, but claimed a couple of pieces could be all it took.

With the NFL Combine wrapped up and free agency quickly approaching, Orlovsky doubled down on his claims.

On Monday’s edition of Get Up on ESPN, Orlovsky again said the Cowboys are two-to-three pieces on defense from being legitimate contenders. He also said that Will McClay deserves credit for the team he built, which has been solid despite Jerry Jones being overly conservative in free agency.

“I really think a new window is starting if they hit this offseason the right way. I firmly believe that less than 5% of the money that the Cowboys have presently allocated to their team is spent on free agents. Yet this has been a good football team for the better part of half of a decade. So that tells you Will McClay, who's really like the person choosing their players in many ways, it tells you the job he's done,” Orlovsky said.

“They're two or three players away on defense from all of a sudden becoming real contenders. Totally agree on their offense. They've got to get Pickens to at least play on the tag. We'll figure that out, hopefully. But if they can get a backer, an edge rusher, and a secondary player that are high-end players, that defense gets solid, and now we're talking about a team that contends.”

“I really think a new window is starting if [the Cowboys] hit this offseason the right way. … They’re two or three players away on defense from all of a sudden becoming real contenders.”

—@danorlovsky7 on how Dallas can reopen its Super Bowl window 👀 pic.twitter.com/TpPOcLjwVX

— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) March 2, 2026

With Dak Prescott turning 33 in July, it appears Jones is finally realizing he needs to make a move. He’s spent much of this offseason claiming the Cowboys will fix their defense, even promising to make some moves in free agency.

Cowboys don’t need to be elite on defense to contend

Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer looks on before the game against the New York Giants. | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

The best news for Dallas fans is that they don’t have to build an elite defense to contend. The Cowboys already have one of the most explosive offenses in the league, and should be returning all 11 starters.

That means they simply need a defense that can make situational stops. Even just a few big plays on third downs could make all the difference in the world for this team in 2026.

With two picks in Round 1 of the NFL draft and a new approach to free agency, there’s growing hope they could actually put together a respectable defense under new coordinator Christian Parker.

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