Dak Prescott badly needs Christian Parker to help him make Cowboys history – Luke Norris, The Landry Hat
Christian Parker can help Dak Prescott cement himself further as an all-time great for the franchise.
Over the course of his 10-year career with the Dallas Cowboys, Dak Prescott has had himself some solid campaigns, one of which came just this past year, as he put together one of his best overall seasons. Completing 67.3 percent of his throws, the Mississippi State alum threw for 4,552 yards, ranking third in the NFL, and tossed 30 touchdown passes, ranking fourth, against only 10 interceptions en route
to earning his fourth trip to the Pro Bowl. But as every fan of America’s Team knows, those numbers were effectively all for nothing, as Prescott only earned seven wins for his efforts. But Dak certainly isn’t to blame for Dallas missing the playoffs for the second straight year, as everyone definitely knows why the Cowboys only earned seven wins.
Dak Prescott needs 12 wins to pass Troy Aikman for most regular-season wins by a Cowboys QB
While Prescott and the offense posted 391.9 yards and 27.7 points per game, ranking second and seventh in the league, respectively, the Dallas defense surrendered 377.0 yards and 30.1 points per contest, respectively ranking 30th and dead last in 32nd in those categories. As such, defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus was fired just two days after the regular season concluded. And after a surprisingly patient search, he was replaced by Philadelphia Eagles defensive passing coordinator and defensive backs coach Christian Parker.
Given how the last two seasons have gone, it’s almost easy to forget that the Cowboys had three consecutive 12-win seasons from 2021 to 2023. And if Parker, who undoubtedly has a far better group of players to work with than Eberflus did, can help get Dallas back to that level, Prescott would certainly be appreciative, It just so happens that Dak needs exactly a dozen wins to break the franchise record for most regular-season victories by a starting quarterback.
With the Cowboys’ Week 7 win over the Washington Commanders last October, Prescott notched victory number 79, thus moving him past Tony Romo and into third place by himself on the franchise list. Tack on the four that followed that win, and Dak’s regular-season record now stands at 83-55-1.
As you’ve likely already guessed, the only two now sitting in front of him are the two most legendary QBs in Cowboys history: Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman.
Former NFL defensive lineman Aldon Smith dies at age 36 – ESPN
Sad news about an NFL player who had a brief stop in Dallas.
Former NFL defensive lineman Aldon Smith died Saturday in the Bay Area. He was 36.
Smith played six seasons in the NFL for the San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Raiders and Dallas Cowboys. The Niners originally selected him with the seventh pick in the 2011 NFL draft.
The team confirmed Smith’s death Saturday afternoon. No cause of death was given.
“We are devastated by the sudden and tragic passing of Aldon Smith,” the 49ers said in a statement. “Aldon’s undeniable talent and sheer dominance on the field were on display from the moment he joined our organization, having recorded one of the best rookie seasons the National Football League has seen. Beyond his excellence as a player, Aldon will be remembered for his infectious smile that lit up every room he walked into. Our entire organization sends its deepest condolences to the Smith family and all who knew and loved Aldon.”
Once viewed as one of the league’s top young players, Smith’s star-crossed career ended in 2020 after one season with the Cowboys.
Cowboys WR group somehow still underrated heading into 2026 season – K.D. Drummond, Cowboys Wire
Behind Pickens and Lamb, the Cowboys have some hidden gems that are ready to shine.
Notice was taken when the first ranking was revealed. A little stat crunching allows one to walk away thinking that the author made a mistake in not including the Dallas Cowboys. Now, a second ranking has hit, from another major outlet, and while they did a better job by ranking the Cowboys contingent, they still didn’t place them in the correct slot in the pecking order. The Dallas Cowboys have the NFL’s best wide receiver group in 2026, and it’s weird that people feel the need to dance around that idea.
Sure, there is drama surrounding George Pickens’ refusal to participate in voluntary workouts, but until he fails to show up to work on Monday for minicamp, that’s speculation. If Dallas is whole entering the real work to prepare for 2026, they have the best four-man unit in all of the NFL. Pickens, CeeDee Lamb, Ryan Flournoy and Kavontae Turpin have the best production of any combination. That seems to be the criteria that SB Nation’s esteemed writer Jarrett Bailey was working with when he volunteered that the Cincinnati Bengals had the league’s top WR room, with an honorable mention going to the Los Angeles Rams.
Both are formidable, and right at the top of the league, but they aren’t as good as the Cowboys’ group. Then earlier this week, the Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport took a swing at the top-10 WR groups. At least he had the Cowboys at No. 2, trailing behind the Minnesota Vikings corps. He too, was incorrect. The stats, as will be shown in a second, show the Cowboys have the advantage in volume and rate statistics, save for scoring touchdowns, from 2025. Beyond that, though, the Cowboys’ group is youthful, with the two youngest members still showing an upwards trajectory and the “old man” of the group ascending the all-time list of a franchise with historic names attached to it.
In addition, while three of the four teams have an enviable quarterback situation, only one of the four teams in the mix could claim to have a better longterm window. Cowboys QB Dak Prescott, Bengals star Joe Burrow and Rams leader Matthew Stafford are all MVP candidates in any given year, with Stafford the reigning award winner. The Vikings meanwhile have the scariest situation, in a bad way, as Kyler Murray looks to resuscitate his career and JJ McCarthy looks to avoid the flop label. Placing the Vikings group atop any list with that level of uncertainty about who is getting them the ball is a strong gambit.
Cowboys’ Rashan Gary trade has scary history attached – Mark Heaney, Inside the Star
Cowboys trade history has some issues.
Back in March, the Dallas Cowboys made another trade with the Green Bay Packers (after the 2025 Micah Parsons blockbuster) to acquire veteran EDGE Rusher Rashan Gary. Of course, you can’t fault them for aiming to improve their defense, but there is some history you can point to that might make you wary of the deal. Gary, 28, has been incredibly consistent throughout his career, recording five or more sacks in every season since 2020; he had 7.5 last season, matching his total from 2025.
However, the bulk of those came early in the year, and he slowed down tremendously as the season went on. It is for that reason, as well as the fact that Green Bay was set to release him, that people shook their heads at Dallas sending a 2027 4th-round pick away for him. That compensation is, of course, where the scary history of this trade comes into play. Let’s talk about it.
Cowboys 4th-Round Pick Trades: Non-Stop Swings and Misses in Recent Years
Before the 2024 campaign kicked off, Dallas decided it would be a good idea to send a 4th-round pick to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for quarterback Trey Lance; that draft pick would be used by the Niners in the 2025 Draft on Malik Mustapha, a very promising young safety. The move to secure their “quarterback of the future” was made after a career year by Dak Prescott in 2023, and was for a former top-three pick who had thrown five touchdowns and three interceptions in two years.
Of course, the trade was an absolute disaster, with Lance failing to win the QB2 job and never recording a touchdown with Dallas. That same year, the Cowboys made an in-season trade with the Carolina Panthers for wide receiver Jonathan Mingo; they sent a 4th for him as well, even though he had zero touchdowns and virtually no production in two and a half years with the Panthers.
Cowboys 2026 roster rundown: OT Nate Thomas – Jess Haynie, Blogging the Boys
Get to know Dallas’ possible starting left tackle this season.
Thomas still has a chance at being among them. Just within the last few weeks, it’s been confirmed that Thomas is competing for the starting job at left tackle. If he’s victorious, Thomas is in the unfortunate position of having his personal success perceived as a team failure.
Background
Years in NFL: 2
Acquired by: 2024 7th-round pickThomas spent two years as the starting left tackle for the Louisiana Rajin’ Cajuns before entering the draft. At least one draft analyst gave him a fourth-round grade, with the thought that Thomas would find more success in the NFL as a guard. But Thomas ended up falling to the final round and was finally selected 233rd overall by the Cowboys.
2024 was a year of massive turnover on Dallas’ offensive line. Tyron Smith and Tyler Biadasz left in free agency, prompting the Cowboys to spend two of their first three picks on Tyler Guyton and Cooper Beebe as replacements. Thomas had much lower expectations as a fellow rookie, but was a reported standout during training camp and pushed for a roster spot. A knee injury ended his bid and landed Thomas on IR for his entire first season.
Thomas returned last year and resumed course, earning his way onto the 53 as the swing tackle. He would start four games due to injuries for Guyton, but looked very much like a backup. Even with the bar set low by Guyton and Terence Steele for tackle play last season, Thomas wasn’t able to impress in his opportunities. But in ways, 2025 was his rookie season after the injury.
Contract Status
Years Left: 2
2026 Cap Hit: $1.03 millionThomas has reached the halfway point of his original rookie contract, which is more than many seventh-round picks can say. If he’s able to perform as a viable swing tackle, it would be a bargain for Dallas at one of the more crucial, and often more expensive, backup roles.
Daily discussion question: How many Cowboys fans do you interact with on a daily basis? Or are you the only one in your social circles?
