Story by
Matthew Lenix
Sat, July 18, 2026 at 11:00 AM UTC·8 min read
Dak Prescott: Every season with Cowboys is ‘Super Bowl or bust’ – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com
Dak Prescott doesn’t back down from the challenge of winning a title
FRISCO, Texas – Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has never shied away from the fact that each season, he and his teammates have one goal: Win the Super Bowl
When Super Bowl LXI comes around on February 14, 2027, it’ll be over 31 years since Dallas last hoisted the Lombardi trophy. Regardless of the results of years past, the expectation to be at the top of the NFL remains the same for Prescott, who will play his 11th season with the Cowboys in 2026
“That’s the one thing I love about the Cowboys nation and being a player of the Cowboys is, it’s Super Bowl or bust,” Prescott said while speaking to fans during a virtual meet and greet alongside Cowboys rookie DB Caleb Downs. “And truthfully, that’s the only reason you play this game. And so if that’s not your mindset, if that’s not your mindset as a fan, then to me, you don’t have the right passion. You’re not a true winner. So absolutely, we’re working every day for it…”
“Whether it be competing away from the game or even in the game when we’re competing, that’s why we have players like Caleb [Downs], changed our defensive coordinator, that scheme, and super excited about what we’re going to offer you guys.”
As his Cowboys chapter begins, Rashan Gary looks to speak plans of greatness into existence – Joseph Hoyt, Dallas Morning News
Rashan Gary wants to be a force in Dallas
FRISCO — Jennifer Coney has heard her son, Rashan Gary, speak plans into existence so many times that she has no other choice but to trust him
Like the time in middle school when he told her he wanted to start playing football, and subsequently explained his reasoning. She couldn’t see it at the time, but he believed he could play in the NFL one day
Or the time before the NFL draft, when Gary was on the precipice of making his middle school dreams come true. It was then that Gary told his mother that he wanted to put his Michigan degree from the Ross School of Business to good use. He wanted to start his own branding and marketing agency for athletes, including himself. He wanted to start Rashan Gary Sports
Before doing so, however, Gary asked his mom a question
“Mom, you got faith in me?” Coney remembers her son saying at the time. She then responded, “Always.”
Which is why she’s inclined to believe her son’s latest plans, too
Gary is in the midst of a career transition. The former first-round pick was traded to the Cowboys this offseason after spending the first seven years of his career in Green Bay. He played well with the Packers. He’s had 46.5 career sacks. He earned a trip to the Pro Bowl in 2024. He signed a four-year, $96 million extension in 2023 that allowed him to successfully complete a major goal of his NFL career: Take care of his family
Heading into his first season in Dallas, Gary’s focus has shifted
“I’m trying to be great,” Gary told The Dallas Morning News recently. “That’s my thing. I’m not just here to say I played in the NFL. I want to be a dominant factor. When I hang up my cleats, I want people to say, ‘Man, Rashan Gary was blah, blah, blah,’ whatever the case may be. It’s my legacy. It’s what I’m going to leave my kids. It’s bigger than me now.”
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The Dallas Cowboys position battle that is much bigger than you realize heading into 2026 training camp – Mauricio Rodriguez, AtoZ Sports
The tight end battle behind Jake Ferguson is certainly an intriguing one
The Dallas Cowboys are heading into training camp with a tight end competition that deserves more attention than it’s getting. While it’s already identified as a meaningful camp battle, I don’t think we’re talking about the implications enough. After all, how it turns out will say a lot about the past and present of the team
You see, tight end Luke Schoonmaker, the Cowboys’ 2023 second-round pick, is fighting for the No. 2 spot at tight end behind Jake Ferguson and potentially for his 53-man roster spot entirely. The outcome of this battle will reveal a lot about the harsh reality of the 2023 draft class and potentially, of a new way of doing things in Dallas. Let’s break it all down
Schoonmaker’s production speaks for itself
It’s hard to believe, but Schoonmaker is entering his fourth year with the Cowboys. Over 51 games, he has 49 receptions. That’s under one catch per game for a player Dallas drafted believing he could compete with Ferguson for the starting job back in 2023. No bueno
Schoonmaker was always a traits-based prospect who never fully developed. As of today, the best way to describe his play is that he doesn’t do one thing at an above-average level. He’s a decent blocker (I’d even say below average) and a decent pass catcher (again, below average). He doesn’t stand out in any phase of the game, and that’s a problem when the competition is gaining ground
Brevyn Spann-Ford and Michael Trigg are coming for those snaps
Take Brevyn Spann-Ford, who is competing for the No. 2 tight end role. We still need to see more from him as a pass catcher, but Spann-Ford can flat-out block in the run game. He consistently shows up on film, and the Cowboys were comfortable enough to let him take on defensive tackles in their blocking scheme rather than just sealing backside defensive ends. That’s unusual for a tight end and speaks to his physicality. Right now, I’d say Spann-Ford is the clear frontrunner for the No. 2 spot behind Ferguson.
That pushes Schoonmaker into a battle for the No. 3 tight end spot, which may be the last roster spot available at the position. Dallas began the 2025 season with only three tight ends on its 53-man roster, and I have no reason to believe 2026 will be different
The name to watch there is undrafted rookie Michael Trigg. Trigg has his own battle to fight. He needs to prove that the off-the-field concerns that followed him through multiple college programs and suspensions are behind him. If he does that, the Cowboys will have something different in Trigg: a big-bodied target who can develop as a pass catcher without needing to be attached to the offensive line. He has the physicality and the tools to evolve as a blocker, too, as long as he’s willing to get his hands dirty.
If Trigg has a strong training camp, Schoonmaker could end up without a roster spot
Cowboys Depth Chart: Is there any proven inside linebacker depth? – Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
The Cowboys have to figure this part of their roster out
Dee Winters, DeMarvion Overshown, Jaishawn Barham
The two projected starters, Dee Winters and DeMarvion Overshown, will have safe roster spots going into training camp
After trading a fifth-round pick to the San Francisco 49ers for the TCU product, the Cowboys will lean on Winters to bring youth and reliability to the off-ball linebacker spot with his 27 career starts and his 101 total tackles from last season
Having a healthy offseason is a big step in the right direction for Overshown, as he enters a crucial contract year. He is still viewed as one of the league’s respected names at the position despite his two major knee injuries, but putting together a full healthy season will be the most important thing, not only for the Cowboys’ defense, but for his career after 2026. When healthy, Overshown’s pursuit and instincts make him an X-factor that forces opposing offenses to do extra game-plan work on.
Drafted in the third round in April, Jaishawn Barham brings flexibility from his college days at Michigan as an off-ball linebacker and a pass rusher off the edge. Expect to see him deployed in both roles during his rookie year, but with his main responsibility coming at the inside linebacker spot. His length and power will give the Cowboys an intriguing rotational option as the season goes on
Daily discussion question: What part of training camp do you care about the most?
