Can we rebuild defense before Dak is done?

[kskboys]

This year, if we could get 2 solid starters in FA and hit on both firsts who have significant and immediate impact we'd be off to a great start. That could perhaps put us in the middle of the pack defensively and with this offense as it is I could see 10-11 wins. Super Bowl ready, unlikely next season but a great start.

Middle of the pack D's don't win super bowls. Yes, there are a few exceptions, but very few.

 

[Diehardblues]

When is Dak going to be done first. Age does not play favorites.

My thinking by being done is his contract not his career If we’re still waiting for rebuild on defense in 2028 will we still seek to resign Dak again?

Especially if we are off 4 consecutive missed playoff seasons.

 

[Diehardblues]

You have to take into account hopefully coaching up the players and a better scheme. Might not need as many players as we think. One safety, a couple Lbers and one DL to go along with Clowney should be enough to start. Again, hopefully depending on the coaching.

Yea but that’s not the kind of defense we need.

 

[Diehardblues]

This year, if we could get 2 solid starters in FA and hit on both firsts who have significant and immediate impact we'd be off to a great start. That could perhaps put us in the middle of the pack defensively and with this offense as it is I could see 10-11 wins. Super Bowl ready, unlikely next season but a great start.

4 impact staters on defense this year would be remarkable. Hard for me to fathom.

 

[KingCorcoran]

Fair question. If change is truly here I believe we can. How aggressive we are in free agency will tell us a lot. And then there's the draft. We would need to be declared winners in both, although the draft is more projection.

I believe we can make a huge jump with the right free agent acquisitions, and of course we hit in the draft. I'm not one of those that says, Dak will never win. He's good enough,.but Lord knows we need defensive help. That said, yes we can, and I truly hope we do.

And if the other 15 teams in the NFC would just stop assessing their needs and not make moves to improve their teams perhaps the Cowboys could manage to win more games than they lose. Could happen!

 

[ChuckA1]

Frankly, Amigos, there will have to be a lot of improvements made to satisfy the fans. We've been waiting a very long time for a successful playoff team.

 

[Ironicalicon]

Middle of the pack D's don't win super bowls. Yes, there are a few exceptions, but very few.

Mhm. Agreed.

 

[StarBoyz83]

Its going to take at least 2 solid off-seasons to get to at least average imo. But besides serious injury wise I dont think dak is done anytime soon.

 

[Relayer]

My thinking by being done is his contract not his career. If we’re still waiting for complete rebuild on defense in 2028 will we still seek to resign Dak again?

Especially if we are off 4 consecutive missed playoff seasons.

This is basically my conundrum. Will we wait longer than 2 years to rebuild defense with Daks contract?

I think they will continue with the Dak friendly philosophy.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I don't think ten consecutive missed playoff years would stop Jerry from extending Dak.

 

[StarBoyz83]

I don't think ten consecutive missed playoff years would stop Jerry from extending Dak.

If dak suffers no serious injuries i fully expect him to get another contract in Dallas

 

[thunderpimp91]

The defense can make pretty significant strides in a year...I think the bigger question is can the offense continue to play at the level it has. Offensively the Cowboys went from elite to above average as the season went on. If the plan is to simply run it back with the same starting 11 and put almost all of your resources into the defense we should expect some regression offensively.

 

[Diehardblues]

I think they will continue with the Dak friendly philosophy.

If that’s the case then we can place any higher aspirations for the Cowboys on hold because it limits the ability to surround him with a greater defense.

 

[Diehardblues]

If dak suffers no serious injuries i fully expect him to get another contract in Dallas

By 2028 season Dak will be 35.

 

[Diehardblues]

It’s going to take at least 2 solid off-seasons to get to at least average imo. But besides serious injury wise I dont think dak is done anytime soon.

I tend to agree it will take at least 2 seasons to get back to average . Unfortunately that won’t cut it except to be possibly a playoff caliber team , not SB caliber.

And if that’s all we want we could consider extending Prescott at 35 years old in 2028.

I read in Bobhaze post that 82% of all SB winners had a Top 10 defense. That should be our goal.

 

[Diehardblues]

Middle of the pack D's don't win super bowls. Yes, there are a few exceptions, but very few.

Yep
Bobhaze most excellent post states 82% of all 60 SB winners had a Top Ten defense.

I’d bet the others probably had a HOF caliber QB.

 

[Hadenough]

Eli Manning 2007 4 post season wins
Stats Prescott 2016-2025 2 post season wins

You could say that Zeke won one of those games and Parsons was a nightmare for an old frail Brady. Basically Cooper Rush could have been QB and they win those games.

 

[leeblair]

Cowboys are in need of basically a total rebuild on defense. We need arguably 2 starting CB, 2 Safeties, a couple LB’s and at least 1 edge rusher. Thats being optimistic.

So how many years will that take ? Even if we were to hit on both 1st round picks this year that only fills 2 spots . Maybe . Again , being very optimistic. And that’s assuming we use both picks on defense.

We currently have no second day picks so doubtful much more immediate starters in 2026 draft on defense. 2027 at best assuming we use both early picks on defense maybe 2 more Day 1 starters.

In 2 years filling 4 starting positions on defense would be optimal. Unless of course we are aggressive in FA and hit on a couple defenders. 2028 we could possibly finish out the rebuild on defense. Maybe begin to be an outlier playoff contender assuming offense is still in tact.

Where will we be on Daks contract in 2028? And where will this offense be in a couple years. I tend to think Jethro screwed himself again. He’ll waste some of Daks most seasoned and experienced years rebuilding defense.

in 2028 after potentially 4 consecutive missed playoff seasons will we be prepared to extend Dak again or begin to look for our future bringing young blood at QB to go with a rebuilt defense?

The Cowboys cannot rebuild UNTIL Dak is done.
Not and win anything.

 

[Gangsta Spanksta]

If we rebuild the defense, can Dak play and lead a team, with that defense, better than he has in the past? I mean we tend to crumble against the NFC West and NFC North teams in the playoffs like the 49ers and Greenbay. He had better teams in the past, but he goes the same way as the team does. If the team is not prepared for the playoffs, Dak doesn't tend to be either, having been part of the reason we lost against teams that are playing playoff football rather than us losing despite how good he played. I'm not convinced rebuilding the defense for Dak, will improve our chances from what they were in the past.

 

[kskboys]

Yep
Bobhaze most excellent post states 82% of all 60 SB winners had a Top Ten defense.

I’d bet the others probably had a HOF caliber QB.

I know of at least one exception. The 06 Colts. It was kinda weird, they were 21st on D, but suddenly rose up in the playoffs and held 3 of 4 opponents to under 20 pts. The exception was a shootout w/ the Pats that they won 38-34.

Of course, helps a ton when you get to play a Rex Grossman led Bears team in the super bowl. Sometimes you just get the right team and the right time. Same thing when we beat the Steelers in the super bowl, we happened to get a team w/ a subpar QB.