“It’s annoying,” he said, via Jon Machota of TheAthletic.com. “It’s been annoying to prepare against. But obviously seeing it in practice every day, it’s kind of unique. Just seeing the different guys communicate and be able to understand and take what they learn from the meeting room and being able to easily translate it on the field. It’s good to go against. It’s very tricky.”

Strengthening the defensive unit is a must for America’s Team if they hope to compete in the NFC. Christian Parker will look to elevate his players to an elite level, giving Brian Schottenheimer the tools on both sides of the field needed to challenge their opponents.

Cowboys aim to improve their defensive performance in 2025

The Cowboys endured a dismal defensive campaign during the 2025 NFL season, finishing as one of the league’s most vulnerable units. Anchored at the bottom of the league, the defense surrendered a staggering 30.1 points per game, ranking last (32nd) in scoring defense.

Under defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, the unit struggled drastically in the secondary, giving up an average of 251.5 passing yards per game, which also ranked dead last across the NFL. Allowing 377.0 total yards per outing (30th overall) and a league-high 59 total touchdowns, the Cowboys’ defense consistently collapsed under pressure, ultimately undermining a potent offense and causing the team to finish the year with a frustrating 7–9–1 record.

Lamb leads an intriguing offense

To rebuild from a frustrating season, the Dallas Cowboys will look to lean heavily on their elite offense, which finished the 2025 campaign averaging an impressive 394.0 total yards per game (1st in the NFL) and scoring 27.7 points per outing.

Operating out of a highly explosive passing game, franchise quarterback Dak Prescott returns to the helm after a stellar year where he racked up 4,552 passing yards and 30 touchdowns. He will once again have a loaded arsenal out wide, led by superstar CeeDee Lamb, who pulled in 75 receptions for 1,077 yards and 3 touchdowns despite missing a chunk of the season.

Additionally, the Cowboys are confident on George Pickens’ situation heading into the future after locking in the Pro Bowl wideout—who led the team with a career-high 1,429 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns last season—via a $27.3 million franchise tag, ensuring that Dallas retains the league’s most lethal aerial tandem.

New faces on the Cowboys’ defense

Dallas has completely overhauled its defensive unit with an influx of impact talent that has already caught the attention of wideout CeeDee Lamb during team workouts.

Leading the re-engineered linebacking corps are dynamic former San Francisco 49ers linebacker Dee Winters and explosive edge rusher Rashan Gary, who arrives from Green Bay to provide elite pass-rushing punch. The secondary has received an equally massive upgrade with the arrivals of hard-hitting former Arizona Cardinals safety Jalen Thompson and former Los Angeles Rams cornerback Cobie Durant.

Together, this revamped group is flashing the playmaking energy needed to completely erase the memory of last year’s struggles and turn the Cowboys’ defense into a formidable force.

Pickens was acquired from the Pittsburgh Steelers after a surprising trade before the 2025 season and immediately became one of the most productive players in Dallas’ offense. Following an outstanding year alongside Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, many around the league expected the talented receiver to cash in with a lucrative new deal.

Instead, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones chose a different route. Dallas used the franchise tag to prevent Pickens from reaching free agency, ensuring he remains with the team while delaying the massive payday the receiver was seeking. The situation has created obvious frustration as Pickens remains unable to earn a contract that reflects his production as a top wideout.

Will George Pickens report to Cowboys minicamp?

The next key date in this standoff is June 16, when the Cowboys begin mandatory minicamp. Unlike the voluntary portion of the offseason program, players can face fines for missing mandatory activities.

Fortunately for Dallas, head coach Brian Schottenheimer appears confident that Pickens will be in attendance despite the contract dispute. “I expect he’ll be here. I think he’s in a good spot, but, again, I know he’s handling his business. I know he misses his teammates and we miss him too. You know how we feel about him. We love him. This is just part of the business.”

The situation bears some resemblance to the Cowboys’ previous contract battles with star players. Dallas faced significant criticism for delaying negotiations with Micah Parsons, and now the Cowboys find themselves dealing with another high-profile player unhappy with his contract status.

Whether Jerry Jones eventually rewards Pickens with a long-term extension remains one of the biggest questions hanging over the franchise as training camp approaches.

“He signed the franchise tag, $27 million. Hasn’t really been a fixture in the building, kind of stayed away a little bit but I’m told he has worked with Dak Prescott this offseason offsite,” the insider said on ESPN’s Sportscenter.

“Loves being a Cowboy, loves a long-term deal more. They weren’t able to get one, but they’re hopeful down the road they can work it out. But I don’t expect a holdout at this point, should be locked in for the Cowboys in 2026.”

What is Pickens’ current contract situation?

George Pickens officially signed his $27.3 million non-exclusive franchise tag with the Dallas Cowboys, securing his roster spot for the 2026 season. This intriguing deal ensures Dallas retains its star wide receiver while both sides continue working toward a long-term contract extension before the mid-July deadline.

By signing the tag early, Pickens avoids any offseason holdout, fully committing to the team’s upcoming program and keeping Dak Prescott’s top deep threat locked in for another championship run.

The numbers tempting the Cowboys into a long-term deal

George Pickens absolute breakout in 2025—hauling in 93 receptions for 1,429 yards and 9 touchdowns—proved he has become Dak Prescott’s most explosive and reliable top target in Dallas. Averaging a stellar 15.4 yards per catch and earning his first Pro Bowl selection, Pickens established himself as an elite, week-winning weapon who can carry the passing offense.

These numbers provide more than enough leverage for both sides to move past the temporary franchise tag and secure a massive, long-term deal.

A fearsome receiving corps for Dallas

While Pickens has emerged as one of the main offensive leaders of this team, the truth is that America’s Team have more than enough reasons to be dangerous. CeeDee Lamb, Ryan Flournoy, and recently arrived Marquez Valdes-Scantling are some of the names Dak Prescott can rely on through the air.

“That will be one more step in the direction of being a good enough football team to kick the Cowboys’ (expletive),” Harbaugh said. Meanwhile, as these statements were being made public on social media, Lamb responded ironically: “Lol that’s cute.”

Dak Prescott and his Dallas Cowboys will visit MetLife Stadium in Week 1, in what will be a high-profile season opener for both teams. Both franchises have aspirations of contending, and the buildup is already starting to heat up, even though the start of the season is still several months away.

Latest matchups between Cowboys and Giants

The 2025 season series between the Giants and Cowboys delivered two wildly different scripts, resulting in a 1-1 split. In Week 2, the teams engaged in a thrilling offensive shootout at AT&T Stadium, where the Cowboys managed a narrow 40-37 overtime victory sealed by a dramatic 64-yard Brandon Aubrey field goal to force OT and a 46-yarder to win it, despite a massive 450-yard, 3-touchdown performance by Russell Wilson.

However, the Giants got their revenge in the January season finale, capitalizing on an early Dak Prescott exit to dominate Dallas 34-17 behind rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart’s highly efficient performance and a relentless defense, ensuring both division rivals finished their disappointing 2025 campaigns outside the postseason picture.

John Harbaugh and CeeDee Lamb will face each other twice

Beyond their Week 1 opener, the second divisional matchup between John Harbaugh’s Giants and CeeDee Lamb’s Cowboys will take place in Week 17 on Sunday, January 3, 2027.

This late-season clash will kick off at 1:00 PM ET at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, serving as a high-stakes battle that could carry massive playoff implications for the NFC East right before the regular-season finale.

Jon Machota, the insider who usually stays up to date with everything happening in America’s Team, revealed on X a conversation with Jake Ferguson, in which he warns opponents about the ferocity of this unit on the team.

“Cowboys TE Jake Ferguson says Dallas has only “barely scratched the surface” of who they can be on offense,” Machota said. “He also said this is the best talent he’s seen in the Cowboys’ tight end room.”

There are five names Dak Prescott can rely on to do damage to opponents moving forward: Jake Ferguson, Luke Schoonmaker, Brevyn Spann-Ford, Princeton Fant, and finally Michael Trigg.

Prescott has been able to take advantage of his TEs

During the 2025 NFL season, Dak Prescott and Jake Ferguson continued to anchor the Dallas Cowboys‘ aerial attack with highly productive campaigns. Prescott finished near the top of the league by throwing for 4,552 passing yards, 30 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, completing 67.3% of his passes.

A significant portion of that success went through Ferguson, who earned a Pro Bowl nod after hauling in 82 receptions for 600 yards and 3 touchdowns. Heading into the new season, the duo will look to improve upon these numbers by turning their yardage into higher scoring efficiency—specifically targeting more consistency in the red zone to elevate Ferguson’s touchdown totals and carrying a more balanced offensive load to push past last year’s mediocre team finish.

Will Schottenheimer unlock the tight ends in Dallas this season?

Brian Schottenheimer might heavily emphasize his tight ends to set the tone for his entire offensive system. Rooted in a physical, run-first philosophy, his game plan relies on multi-tight end sets to establish a dominant ground game, which naturally sucks in the defense and unlocks highly efficient, explosive play-action targets down the seam.

“My understanding is that the second procedure was about three or four weeks ago. Still optimism that he’s going to be ready for Week 1. You never want to hear about your star player having one knee surgery, much less two, but it doesn’t seem like the alarms are going off yet with Malik Nabers.”

The update is extremely important for the Giants considering Nabers remains one of the central pieces of the offense led by Jaxson Dart. While they’re expected to take a very cautious approach throughout the offseason, the belief inside the building still appears to be that Nabers can return in time for the season opener against the Dallas Cowboys.

Giants still optimistic Malik Nabers will face Cowboys in Week 1

Even though optimism remains, the situation has undeniably created uncertainty around the Giants’ offense heading into training camp. Nabers is expected to miss most offseason activities and possibly portions of the preseason while continuing his recovery process.

That uncertainty helps explain why New York aggressively addressed the receiver position during free agency and the draft. The Giants added veterans Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin III while also selecting Malachi Fields to improve depth around Jaxson Dart.

Still, losing Nabers for any significant amount of time would be a massive blow for the offense. The young receiver quickly became one of the NFL’s most dangerous playmakers, and his chemistry with Dart was expected to become one of the biggest storylines of the season.

For now, however, the Giants appear determined to avoid panic. And according to Pelissero’s latest update, they still believe their superstar receiver has a realistic chance to be on the field when New York opens the season against Dallas in primetime.

“I’m excited. Playing in my first international game, going into my 11th season, I would’ve thought we would’ve had one by now,” he said via the team’s official website. “But it’s all good. The travel will be tough, but international games are part of growing this game. It’s something we’ll manage. We have to take care of our bodies.“

For the first time in NFL history, Rio de Janeiro will host a regular season game. Brazil have hosted games on two previous occasions; however, those matchups were played in the city of Sao Paulo.

The Dallas Cowboys will travel to South America to face none other than the Baltimore Ravens in a matchup that could very well be a potential Super Bowl preview. Can they ultimately get it done?

A long trip for the Dallas Cowboys

Arlington to Rio de Janeiro seems like a long journey. The demands this team will face could be balanced out by a key factor, according to Dak Prescott: proper rest.

“For us, we have to make sure we get some good sleep on the plane,” the QB said, referring to the expected 10-hour flight. “I think that’s one of the biggest keys. Sleeping on a plane hasn’t ever been too difficult for me. Hopefully it doesn’t become an issue that week.

“We’ll just manage. We’ve done it before with Thanksgiving week, just not with travel like this. Other teams have, though. It’s not new. They’re doing everything they can to make sure we have the best plan and resources for recovery. I’m looking forward to it.”

The Dallas travel schedule

The Dallas Cowboys face a demanding travel schedule for the 2026 NFL season, featuring critical divisional road trips to New York, Washington, and Philadelphia. Beyond their NFC East rivals, the Cowboys will also hit the road for major matchups across the country, visiting Houston, Green Bay, and Indianapolis, alongside extensive West Coast swings to square off against Seattle and Los Angeles.

Cowboys’ regular season full schedule

• Week 1: at New York Giants
• Week 2: vs Washington Commanders
• Week 3: vs Baltimore Ravens
• Week 4: at Houston Texans
• Week 5: vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Week 6: at Green Bay Packers
• Week 7: at Philadelphia Eagles
• Week 8: vs Arizona Cardinals
• Week 9: at Indianapolis Colts
• Week 10: vs San Francisco 49ers
• Week 11: vs Tennessee Titans
• Week 12: vs Philadelphia Eagles
• Week 13: at Seattle Seahawks
• Week 14: Bye Week
• Week 15: at Los Angeles Rams
• Week 16: vs Jacksonville Jaguars
• Week 17: vs New York Giants
• Week 18: at Washington Commanders

Instead, according to Jeremy Fowler, the organization chose to place the franchise tag on the star wide receiver, creating uncertainty about his long-term future. “Essentially, the Cowboys want to see more from Pickens, who came to Dallas with character concerns, before committing long-term dollars. But a receiver coming off a banner season with 93 catches for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns rarely has to wait.”

The situation immediately reminds many around the NFL of what happened with Micah Parsons. After refusing to meet Parsons’ contract demands, the Cowboys eventually traded the superstar pass rusher to the Green Bay Packers, a move that created enormous backlash among fans and analysts.

Cowboys could face major problem with George Pickens in 2027

According to the report several people around the league already believe this situation could become much more complicated if the Cowboys continue delaying a long-term agreement beyond the 2026 season.

An NFL executive told Fowler. “Dallas is going to face a big decision because Pickens is set up to have another productive season and the receiver market has skyrocketed. If they tag him again without the promise of a new deal, he could revolt.”

That warning reflects the growing tension surrounding wide receiver contracts across the NFL. Elite receivers continue resetting the market every offseason, and if Pickens delivers another dominant campaign, his asking price could increase even further by next year.

For Jerry Jones, the gamble is clear. The Cowboys believe Pickens still needs to prove he can consistently handle the responsibilities that come with a massive contract despite his production on the field. However, delaying negotiations also increases the risk of creating another fractured relationship with one of the franchise’s biggest stars.

At this point, Jones appears willing to bet on one more season before fully committing. But if Pickens dominates again in 2026, the Cowboys could soon find themselves dealing with another contract saga capable of completely overshadowing the team’s Super Bowl aspirations.

Earlier when it was announced that Pickens would be tagged, Dak Prescott told him to “bet on himself.” Now, Prescott spoke via the team’s website and said, “The guy that I know George is, obviously he signed the tag, so when he has to be there and ready to play, he’s going to be there. He’s a hell of a talent. We’ve thrown this offseason, so I’m comfortable with where he’s at and I’m excited for when he can get in the building and get rolling.”

To be fair, the first season where Pickens and Prescott played together was one to remember. The connection between them was very natural and incredibly effective. For the Cowboys‘ sake, they hope this year will be the same.

Pickens was arguably the Cowboys’ WR1 in 2025

Last season was Pickens’ first as a Cowboy and he delivered and then some. Dak Prescott led the NFL with 404 completions, and 93 of them were receptions by Pickens, who racked up 1429 yards with nine touchdowns. He was a Pro Bowler and a second-team All-Pro.

For instance, CeeDee Lamb, who is on paper the team’s WR1, had 1077 yards and three touchdowns on 75 catches. Hence, Pickens outplayed him in every single statistic. Also Lamb had eight drops last season, Pickens had only four.

The Cowboys have made moves to fight for a playoff berth

At least for this season the offense will be a high-octane one, with Pickens, Lamb, and tight end Jake Ferguson as the weapons for Dak Prescott, as well as running back Javonte Williams bringing a running threat.

The defensive line will be a tough one to beat with Quinnen Williams, Rashan Gary, and Kenny Clark. Not to mention, they drafted Malachi Lawrence to help out. The secondary has names like Caleb Downs, Cobie Durant, Malik Hooker, DaRon Bland, and plenty more. The roster is very good.

The action will begin on Thanksgiving Eve when the Green Bay Packers travel to Los Angeles to face Matthew Stafford and the Rams in a high-profile primetime showdown. With the Rams once again viewed as serious championship contenders, the matchup immediately gives fans one of the biggest games of the entire week before Thanksgiving officially even begins.

Then comes a stacked Thanksgiving Day tripleheader. The Chicago Bears will visit the Detroit Lions in the traditional early game before the Dallas Cowboys host the Philadelphia Eagles in one of the NFL’s biggest rivalries. But the main event arrives at night when Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs face Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills at Arrowhead Stadium in what could easily become one of the most anticipated games of the entire 2026 season.

NFL loaded Thanksgiving week with blockbuster matchups

As if the Thanksgiving schedule itself were not enough, the NFL also added another major matchup for Black Friday. The Pittsburgh Steelers, potentially led by Aaron Rodgers if he ultimately signs with the franchise, will host the Denver Broncos in another game possibly loaded with playoff implications and national attention.

The overall lineup reflects the NFL’s strategy of placing its biggest brands and most marketable stars in standalone windows during one of the most watched sports weekends of the year. Between Mahomes, Allen, Stafford, the Cowboys, Eagles, Steelers, and possibly Rodgers, the league managed to stack nearly every marquee attraction into a single holiday stretch.

On paper, this already looks like one of the strongest Thanksgiving football schedules the NFL has ever assembled. If the teams involved live up to expectations, the 2026 holiday slate could easily become one of the most memorable weekends of the entire season.

While they still hope Nabers will eventually be ready for the start of the regular season, there is no longer complete certainty that he will be available for Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys.

The latest procedure is also expected to force the Giants into a highly cautious approach throughout the offseason. Nabers will likely miss most offseason activities and potentially significant portions of training camp as the team prioritizes his long-term health rather than rushing him back onto the field.

What happened with Malik Nabers?

Malik Nabers had another procedure on his knee and that may also explain several of New York’s aggressive offseason moves at the skill positions. Doug Rush pointed out that the Giants were already preparing for a scenario where Nabers might not immediately return at full strength.

“Which is why they traded up for Malachi Fields and added Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin III, plus Isaiah Likely, to go with Isaiah Hodgins and Darius Slayton. Malik Nabers is important, but they have to ease him back in given the severity of that injury.”

Giants preparing for cautious Malik Nabers return

The concern surrounding Malik Nabers appears to be growing internally as well. Repoter Ryan Dunleavy recently suggested the Giants had already begun lowering expectations regarding the receiver’s participation during the early stages of training camp before news of the second surgery surfaced.

“Giants have been less forceful on Malik Nabers participating in early training camp lately. Could explain why (the second surgery).” The situation creates a major challenge for the Giants offense heading into a crucial season for Jaxson Dart.

Nabers was expected to become the centerpiece of the passing attack, but the Giants may now have to rely much more heavily on their newly assembled supporting cast early in the season.

Even if Nabers ultimately returns for Week 1, the Giants are clearly preparing to manage his workload carefully. After investing heavily in their young star receiver, they are determined to avoid any setbacks that could jeopardize his future availability long term.