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The Dallas Cowboys missed the playoffs for the second straight season in 2025, going 7-9-1 in Brian Schottenheimer’s first year as head coach. But that doesn’t stop FOX Sports NFL analyst Mark Schlereth from being optimistic about the Cowboys ahead of the 2026 season.
Not only does Schlereth think Dallas can eclipse its 9.5 win projection, but he wouldn’t be surprised if the Cowboys usurped the Philadelphia Eagles and won the NFC East.
“I think they have a lot of talent. I think this is a football team that can dominate on both lines,” Schlereth said on “The Herd.” “That says to me that the Dallas Cowboys are the frontrunners to win their division.”
While the Cowboys invested in a defensive-heavy roster that includes No. 11 overall safety Caleb Downs and No. 23 overall pick Malachi Lawrence, Dallas also spent time redesigning its offensive line look. Already, the foundation of the offensive line has been laid with Tyler Guyton, Tyler Smith, Cooper Beebe, Tyler Booker and Terrance Steele as the expected starters. However, their depth is what looks to be a game-changer for how they will perform this year with fourth-round pick Drew Shelton and TJ Bass.
On the other side of the ball, the front seven emerged as a big story for the Cowboys this offseason. After last year’s blockbuster trade of edge rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers, Dallas struggled, finishing last in yards allowed per carry. match. Now anchored by edge rushers Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark, their offseason additions — edge rushers Rashan Gary from the Packers and Lawrence — make the Cowboys’ front seven dangerous going into a difficult 2026 schedule.
Schlereth stressed the importance of being talented on the field on both sides of the ball, saying that will be a massive turning point for the Cowboys’ success this season.
“You run both lines of scrimmage in the National Football League, you’re going to win a lot of football games. That’s what jumps off the page for me more than CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens,” Schlerth said.
Wide receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens were two of the NFL’s best at their position in 2025 catching passes from quarterback Dak Prescott. Pickens finished third in the NFL in receiving yards with 1,429 and Lamb finished 11th with 1,077 despite his injuries.
As the Cowboys revamped their roster in a big way this offseason, their projected win total has increased at some sportsbooks. FanDuel Sportsbook has Dallas’ win total set at 9.5 wins.
Although that mark is one of the higher expected wins in the league, Schlereth thinks the Cowboys will easily manage 9.5 wins.
“I wanted to hammer over,” Schlereth said. “One thing I will say about the Dallas Cowboys is … where they’ve invested is a young offensive line that can hammer people, they can beat people, and now they’ve invested defensively in their front seven.”
