The Dallas Cowboys enter the 2026 offseason with one overwhelming priority.
Fix the defense.
Everything about the early stages of the offseason has reinforced that reality.
Dallas moved quickly to part ways with its 2025 defensive coordinator.
Soon after, the organization generated considerable buzz by hiring former Philadelphia Eagles passing game coordinator Christian Parker.
The message was clear.
A historically poor defensive unit would no longer be ignored.
Still, focusing on defense does not absolve the Cowboys from addressing the offense.
Because while the defense collapsed in 2025, the offense was far from flawless.
And some of its issues were structural, not situational.
Pass protection was inconsistent.
The run game lacked explosive elements.
Early-game inefficiency bled into red-zone struggles that plagued the team all season.
There is internal optimism that development could help.
Tyler Guyton, Tyler Booker, and Nate Thomas are all young players Dallas hopes can take meaningful steps forward.
But hope alone does not guarantee improvement.
The Cowboys also believe that another offseason with CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, and Ryan Flournoy working together could elevate the passing game.
Continuity matters.
Chemistry matters.
Yet if Dallas wants to ensure offensive progress rather than merely project it, the NFL Draft offers a more concrete solution.
And the first round, in particular, presents several intriguing offensive options.
Offensive Line: A Foundation That Still Cracks
According to Pro Football Focus, the Cowboys finished the 2025 season with the 21st-ranked offensive line in the NFL.
That ranking reflects a unit that was neither disastrous nor dependable.
Guyton showed improvement.
But he still struggled to stay healthy.
And when he was on the field, his play rarely rose above replacement level.
Terence Steele, meanwhile, emerged as one of the league’s weakest pass blockers.
His contract looms large.
And his performance has not justified his role as a long-term solution.
Nate Thomas flashed potential as a possible replacement.
But his rookie season revealed significant growing pains.
There is legitimate concern that Steele’s current level may ultimately represent Thomas’ ceiling.
If Dallas wants to take the offense from functional to dominant, the solution may require an external addition.
Francis Mauigoa: A Tone-Setter at Tackle
One name stands out as a prototype fit for Dallas’ offensive identity.
Francis Mauigoa.
The Miami right tackle embodies everything the Cowboys have prioritized in recent offensive line investments.
Power.
Physicality.
The ability to move defenders off the line of scrimmage.
Like Tyler Smith, Cooper Beebe, and Tyler Booker, Mauigoa makes his living through force.
He is not finesse-oriented.
He is not reactive.
In four College Football Playoff games, Mauigoa allowed just six pressures.
He surrendered zero sacks.
He committed zero penalties.
Those numbers speak volumes in high-leverage situations.
Adding a player of that caliber would immediately stabilize both the passing and running games.
It would also send a clear message that Dallas intends to control games at the line of scrimmage.
Running Back: Production Without Explosion
On paper, the Cowboys received strong value from their running back room.
Rico Dowdle surpassed 1,000 rushing yards in 2024.
He averaged 4.6 yards per carry.
Javonte Williams elevated his performance in 2025.
He rushed for 1,200 yards.
He averaged 4.8 yards per attempt.
He scored 11 total touchdowns.
The production was solid.
The explosiveness was not.
Williams recorded just six runs of more than 20 yards.
He had only one run longer than 40 yards all season.
In today’s NFL, dynamic plays are currency.
And Dallas simply did not generate enough of them from the backfield.
Jeremiyah Love: The Missing Element
That is where Jeremiyah Love enters the conversation.
The Notre Dame standout elevated his game dramatically in 2025.
Despite playing four fewer games than the previous season, his production increased across the board.
Love averaged nearly seven yards per carry.
He scored 18 rushing touchdowns.
He added 27 receptions for 280 yards and three more scores.
He did not merely produce.
He exploded.
Love recorded runs of 68 yards and 98 yards.
He is equally dangerous as a receiver.
He thrives in space.
Injecting that type of playmaking into Dallas’ offense would fundamentally change how defenses approach the Cowboys.
Whether through Love or the continued development of Jaydon Blue, increasing dynamic run plays must be a priority.
Tight End: A $50 Million Question
Perhaps the most uncomfortable offensive conversation revolves around tight end.
Specifically, the future of a $50 million investment.
The Cowboys’ tight end room was among the least productive in the NFL in 2025.
The unit averaged just 7.8 yards per reception.
That ranked dead last in the league.
Jake Ferguson, fresh off a four-year, $50 million extension, averaged just 7.3 yards per catch.
The deal is functionally a two-year commitment.
But the financial signal was unmistakable.
Luke Schoonmaker has not lived up to his second-round draft status.
He has offered minimal offensive value.
His blocking has been disappointing.
Brevyn Spann-Ford has contributed as a blocker and special teamer.
But his offensive output has been negligible for two consecutive seasons.
Kenyon Sadiq: A Disruptive Alternative
If Dallas truly wants to elevate its passing attack, it may need to think beyond sunk costs.
Kenyon Sadiq presents a compelling alternative.
The Oregon tight end caught 51 passes.
He scored eight touchdowns.
He averaged 11 yards per reception.
Crucially, he is not a one-dimensional player.
Sadiq posted a Pro Football Focus run-blocking grade near 80.
That balance makes him a rare commodity.
Pairing Sadiq with Ferguson in 2026 would immediately improve both the run game and the middle-of-the-field passing attack.
It would also introduce real competition for a player carrying a $50 million contract.
The Bigger Picture
Dallas does not need to overhaul its offense.
But it does need to modernize it.
Better protection.
More explosive runs.
More stress on defenses through tight end mismatches.
The first round of the draft offers pathways to all three.
And in at least one case, it offers a contingency plan for replacing a $50 million starter if performance does not match investment.
Defense may dominate headlines this offseason.
But offense will determine whether the Cowboys are merely competitive or truly dangerous in 2026.
The draft could decide which direction they take.
