By most observations, it’s been a good offseason for the Dallas Cowboys. They were active in signing a few legitimate outside free agents, kept their big three on offense, had a good draft, upgraded a horrid defense, and hired the most wanted defensive coordinator on the market. It’s hard to fathom the organization doing much better, given how they operate.
Despite the optimism and excitement growing around the organization, the prevailing thought is the team is probably one more season away from legitimately contending for a Super Bowl. There’s only so much they could’ve done in one offseason to address their issues, and the team did well to make improvements. Yet it still feels like Jerry Jones’ squad is one year away.
That means one more go around to make sure the offensive line can hold up at the tackle positions, one more season to build some depth at tight end, one more offseason to try and improve at all three levels of the defense. Having enough quality at linebacker, edge rusher and cornerback remain the biggest question marks for the Cowboys.
The investments on the offensive line mean the team will give another long look at Tyler Guyton as the left tackle and Terence Steele on the right side. There’s probably one more year for both to prove they can play at a high level before the Cowboys consider making a change.
At TE, Jake Ferguson needs a running mate as well, but again, not everything can be solved in one offseason.
The Cowboys addressed most of their holes these past few months and look like they’ll be in position to make the playoffs for the first time in three years. The problem with being pretty good, but not good enough to be Super Bowl contenders, is what can happen next offseason.
If Dallas’ offense remains among the best in the league, and Christian Parker turns the defense around quickly, things could be much different in 2027. Cowboys’ offensive coordinator Klayton Adams feels like he’s on track to become a head coach soon, he’s one of the NFL personnel participating in the accelerator program currently taking place.
That’s a sign Adams is head coach in waiting, something that could happen next offseason if the Cowboys continue to excel on offense in 2026.
Even wilder, Adams might not be the biggest star on Brian Schottenhemier’s coaching staff. Dallas’ new defensive coordinator feels like the more sought-after candidate, and Parker hasn’t even coached for the team yet. If he turns this defense around, and the Cowboys can be a top 10-12 unit, Parker could be on the fast-track to be a head coach in 2027. A one-and-done scenario for Parker would be less than ideal for the Cowboys but feels very possible.
It’s not crazy to think that both Adams and Parker are head coaches next season. Although that would mean the team had success this year, and it’s great for them personally, it would be bad news for the Cowboys. The team could use two more years with both rising stars on the staff.
Schottenheimer can prepare for both to leave, but the Detroit Lions are familiar with what can happen when two talented coordinators leave at the same time to be head coaches. After winning two playoff games and going 27-7 in the two seasons before DC Aaron Glenn and OC Ben Johnson left, the Lions fell back to earth, going 9-8 last year.
Adams and Parker’s replacements can be in the building already, but the results aren’t likely to be the same right away. The Cowboys don’t have time to replace a staff; quarterback Dak Prescott’s getting older, and his window of elite play is shrinking while his cap number is rising after another contract restructure. The next two seasons are critical for the Cowboys, keeping Adams and Parker together for at least two years would be the best-case scenario.
All of this is putting the horse before the cart, the Cowboys haven’t had enough success that would coax another team to come after one of their coordinators to become a head coach, yet. The Philadelphia Eagles showed interest in Adams as a OC, but no one has requested to speak with him as a head coach.
However, it does feel like the Cowboys are headed in the right direction for the upcoming season, which could lead to a postseason trip. If that happens, don’t be surprised if both coordinators aren’t with the Cowboys next season.
Adams and Parker don’t seem long for Dallas, but it would be ideal for the team if they both stuck around for at least two years on the staff together. How it plays out will be fascinating to watch.
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: OC, DC aren’t ready yet, but could be in demand before Cowboys cash in
Reporting by Ben Grimaldi, Cowboys Wire / Cowboys Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
