Cowboys Headlines: NFC East favorites? 1st rounder questions new D

[ASFN Admin]

The Dallas Cowboys' 2026 season is shaping up to be an interesting one. Questions surrounding each team in the NFC East have opened the door for a new division champion, and according to ESPN's beat writers, the Cowboys are in the driver's seat. The additions of defensive coordinator Christian Parker and added talent on that side of the ball have elevated expectations for Dallas as it looks to take the division crown away from the back-to-back champion Philadelphia Eagles. Philadelphia enters the season with questions of its own, including an offensive line that regressed in 2025, a new offensive coordinator and scheme, and the loss of star receiver A.J. Brown.

Meanwhile, the New York Giants have brought in a new coaching staff, and history shows it often takes time for a team to find its footing under a new regime. The Giants are also dealing with several early injuries, while several key players are returning from season-ending ailments in 2025, making their chances of winning the division appear slim.

Then there are the Washington Commanders, who have new coordinators on both sides of the ball, a quarterback in Jayden Daniels who could soon earn an injury-prone label if health concerns persist, and a defense that struggled to stop anyone last season. That combination makes it difficult to view them as the favorite in the NFC East. The Cowboys may have the most explosive offense in the division, and the only real roadblock that could derail their season is the defense. But considering how porous that unit was last year, the likelihood of it repeating that level of play under Parker seems low.

One former Cowboy isn't ready to buy into the hype surrounding Dallas' defensive resurgence.

Greg Ellis recently joined the Men, Mingle & Mental Health Mixer, where he said he likes the direction the team's heading in, but isn't fully sold just yet. Ellis highlighted the amount of time it takes players to adjust to new scheme responsibilities and develop chemistry within a new system. He also expressed hope that Dallas acquired the right personnel for Parker's defense while pointing to edge rusher Sam Williams as an example.

"That dropping in coverage, that's a whole new element," Ellis said.

A valid assessment, and one we'll only be able to evaluate once the season begins. Ellis experienced the transition from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4 scheme during his own career, so his perspective shouldn't be ignored.

Dallas Cowboys Top Headlines​

• NFC East: Can Cowboys, Giants or Commanders unseat Eagles? :: ESPN.com (Link)
• Greg Ellis Exposed the Risk in the Cowboys’ 2026 Defensive Switch :: Inside The Star (Link)
• No.18) Who Makes Their First Career Pro Bowl? :: DallasCowboys.com (Link)
• Browns QB Shedeur Sanders Named Trade Fit for Cowboys :: Heavy.com (Link)
• Micah Parsons’ Brother Keeps Talking, But Cowboys Are Better Off :: Inside The Star (Link)
• Cowboys and Eagles dominate roster strength comparison across NFC East :: Blogging The Boys (Link)
• 9 Cowboys selected in 7-rd All-NFL redraft for teams in win-now mode :: Cowboys Wire (Link)
• All-NFL Win-Now Draft: Cowboys QB Dak Prescott returns to Dallas :: Cowboys Wire (Link)
• 2025 Stat Challenges Narrative Surrounding Cowboys' Dak Prescott :: Sports Illustrated (Link)
• Offseason grades for every NFC team: Cowboys, Giants, Rams earn high marks :: NFL.com (Link)
• Historic Dak Prescott Prediction is Lofty But Very Possible For Cowboys QB :: Sports Illustrated (Link)
• Cowboys predictions that feel bold now, but won’t be later :: Blogging The Boys (Link)
• Cowboys already revealed their plan for Caleb Downs in new-look defense :: The Landry Hat (Link)
• Cowboys land 2 assistants on PFF's head coach candidate watchlist :: Cowboys Wire (Link)
• Role Call: Jaishawn Barham has promising potential at linebacker :: DallasCowboys.com (Link)

News & Headlines Around the NFC East​

• What do advanced stats tell us about Jaxson Dart’s rookie season passing? :: Big Blue View (Link)
• All eyes are on Jalen Hurts for one reason in Eagles' 2026 season :: Inside The Iggles (Link)
• 7 Commanders draft picks facing a fight they cannot afford to lose :: Riggo's Rag (Link)
• 3 Pressing Questions Facing Saquon Barkley, Tank Bigsby, And Eagles RB Situation :: Sports Illustrated (Link)
• Washington Commanders roster has a glaring question that will open a can of worms if it doesn’t get figured out in 2026 :: AtoZ Sports (Link)
• Clint Hurtt discusses Uar Bernard and the talented defensive line unit :: PhiladelphiaEagles.com (Link)
• Ranking top 5 Eagles with most pressure on them entering training camp :: Inside The Iggles (Link)
• NY Giants: Jameis Winston is exactly the backup Jaxson Dart needs :: Empire Sports Media (Link)
• Brandon Aiyuk may have finally found the restraint Commanders needed to see :: Riggo's Rag (Link)
• Biggest concern with Eagles in 2026 is staring them in the face :: Inside The Iggles (Link)

News & Headlines around the NFL​

• Former NFL RB Chris Johnson brings back Ice Bucket Challenge as he continues fight against ALS :: NFL.com (Link)
• Packers’ Upsetting Micah Parsons Update Leads to Dire Prediction :: Heavy.com (Link)
• How 49ers Can Protect Christian McCaffrey Without Limiting His Carries :: Sports Illustrated (Link)
• Broncos' biggest offseason question is not the health of Bo Nix :: The Sporting News (Link)
• Titans May Have Dropped the Ball at One Position This Offseason :: Sports Illustrated (Link)
• Offseason grades for every AFC team: Titans, Raiders, Jets trending up :: NFL.com (Link)
• Which U.S. area has best NFL players? Eight teams, Cup winner :: ESPN.com (Link)

You can follow Terence on X at @Watson703. Also, follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans and the rest of the @TheCowboysWire crew on X for more news and notes on your Dallas Cowboys.

This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys Headlines: NFC East favorites? 1st rounder questions new D

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