Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer has backed general manager Jerry Jones’ roster work ahead of the 2026 NFL season. Schottenheimer believes Dallas enters the final roster decisions with more depth and overall talent than it had last year.
“If you take our roster from last year and you lay it down next to our roster from this year, there’s no question that the depth and the overall talent is higher,” Schottenheimer said.
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The Cowboys finished 7-9-1 last season and missed the playoffs again. Their biggest issue came on defense, which surrendered 30.1 points per game and ranked last in the NFL.
Dallas responded with major changes across its defensive personnel. The Cowboys added Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark and Von Miller while also selecting safety Caleb Downs with the 11th overall pick.
“This is a good football team,” Schottenheimer said. “We got a lot of confidence.” His assessment puts pressure on the Cowboys to turn improved depth into consistent results.
Schottenheimer also acknowledged the importance of the upcoming roster decisions. “We just got to make the right decisions as we get to cut-down day, which we will,” he said.
Cowboys must prove the depth works
I see that, Dallas has addressed the roster’s biggest structural weakness. Adding experienced defensive talent gives coordinator Christian Parker more options while reducing pressure on young players.
The Cowboys still have an elite offensive core led by Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb. George Pickens also gives Prescott another explosive option after a productive 2025 season.
However, stronger names on paper will not automatically fix Dallas’ problems. The defense must communicate better, limit explosive plays and perform consistently against stronger offenses.
That makes Schottenheimer’s confidence understandable, but the real test begins when the regular season arrives. Dallas cannot afford another year where its offense carries an unreliable defense.
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Jerry Jones has invested heavily in correcting that imbalance. Now, Schottenheimer and Parker must turn those additions into a unit capable of keeping the Cowboys in meaningful games.
The talent appears deeper, but Dallas needs production to validate the coach’s assessment. If the defense improves sharply, the Cowboys could become a serious NFC contender.
