Every season begins with hope for the Dallas Cowboys and ends with frustration.

Certainly, the fans are getting the worst of it, as the Cowboys haven't won the Super Bowl since 1996. Following a disappointing 2025, the Cowboys fans have already kept their expectations low for the upcoming season.

But NFL analyst and Former QB Dan Orlovsky doesn't think the same. He gave a statement on his appearance at Get Up on Thursday.

“The Cowboys are two defensive pieces away from being legit contenders. This defense was obviously historically bad last year. A lot of reasons of the why," Orlovsky said. "They’ve got two really good defensive tackles. They need an edge player and a back end player, that are difference makers.”

The statement of being 'two pieces ' feels distant while looking at the current defence ranking of the Cowboys.

Dallas finished last season with a record of 7-9-1, missing the playoffs for the second consecutive year. While the offence remains good thanks to their QB Dak Prescott, it's the defence ranked last in the league (32nd) that struggles the most.

They gave up the most passing yards in the NFL, allowing 60 touchdowns, which is more than any other team.

Another big reason for their defensive problems was Micah Parsons' departure from the team before the season. Not only that, but other important players like S Marquese Bell and G Tyler Smith's injuries didn't help either.

That necessary change could be on its way, following the arrival of the new defensive leader at the Cowboys.

Will Christian Parker solve the Defensive Struggles of the Cowboys?

Hiring Christian Parker as a new Defensive coordinator is a major step for the Cowboys for the upcoming season.

During the press conference, he addressed how he will be using the defensive side of the team.

"I think you have different ways of doing that. Five-down [defensive linemen] is one of them. There are some different four-down structures you can do with that as well," Parker said.

Last season, Eberflus brought over his 4–3 system, which relied heavily on zone coverage principles. Unfortunately, reports noted that Cowboys defenders often looked uncomfortable and confused in this scheme.

Parked elaborated on his vision of mixing multiple defensive schemes in the upcoming season.

"There's six-down presentations you can do that with as well. So like I said earlier, the defensive line and then winning the game upfront is significant. So how we can change the math and get our best players on the field will always be a part of what we do."

With a proper plan now, the question is, will it be implemented in the way according to Parker's vision, or will it be another year of disappointment for the team?

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Written by

Shreya Mishra

Edited by

Kalp Thaker