You don’t have to squint much to see how the Dallas Cowboys could get back to being a playoff contender. Just 12 months ago, the Cowboys were coming off their third-straight 12-win season, and Dak Prescott finished second in MVP voting. While the lack of playoff success is notable, it’s not hard to envision Dallas getting back to being a double-digit win team this season.

But how do they get there? The Cowboys have lost a ton of talent in free agency over the last three offseasons, and the middle of the roster needs to be rebuilt. Plus, several key players on defense (Trevon Diggs, DeMarvion Overshown, Shavon Revel) are coming off major knee injuries that could cause them to miss several weeks of the regular season.

The answer to all of their problems is their passing game.

Cowboys’ passing game could fuel a 2025 playoff run

In a recent article by Dalton Wasserman of Pro Football Focus, he gave one reason for every team to be optimistic about the upcoming season. For the Cowboys, that was none other than their elite passing offense. Here is what he had to say about the group and why they should be much improved in 2025:

“Between Dak Prescott’s return to full strength and George Pickens’ arrival from Pittsburgh, Dallas should see improvement from last year’s passing-game performance. Assuming he is healthy, Prescott should be able to bounce back from a career-worst 67.2 PFF passing grade. Pickens tied for the NFL lead with a perfect 99.9 deep PFF receiving grade and could be a perfect complement to CeeDee Lamb in the receiving corps.”

Dalton Wasserman, Pro Football Focus

It all starts with Dak Prescott, who needs to stay healthy and prove that he can get back to his 2023 form. Before the hamstring injury, Prescott played some of the worst football of his career as he was often trying to force too many throws, and his decision-making was spotty.

However, he still showed flashes of brilliance, such as his fourth-quarter comeback win against Pittsburgh last year, where he threw the game-winning touchdown.

The addition of Pickens should significantly impact the passing game, giving the Cowboys a bonafide No. 2 receiver who can make plays down the field. Pickens is only 24, and there is some belief that he hasn’t even played his best football yet. Pairing him with CeeDee Lamb should give the Cowboys enough weapons in the passing game to get back to their elite status.

Read more: It took one practice for George Pickens to turn Cowboys minicamp into his own stage

But don’t forget about a player like Jalen Tolbert, who was pushed into the No. 2 role last year. While that was too big of a leap for him, he did play his best football of his career in 2024, and he’s entering a contract year. Tolbert is overmatched as a No. 2 WR, but he could develop into a reliable No. 3 option for Prescott going into Year 4.

And if Jake Ferguson can back to the level we saw him play at during the 2023 season, this passing attack could be nearly unstoppable.

The Cowboys finally have the right type of weapons around Prescott and the hope is that the offensive line can gel quickly with several first-and-second year starters. If that is the case, there is no reason why this offense can’t be among the best in the NFL. And that’s what they’ll need to do if they want to get back to being a perennial playoff contender.