Cowboys Pull Starters, Fall to Giants 17-34

Dallas ends up with the 12th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, which is much better than we anticipated a month ago. Remember, we also have Green Bay’s first-rounder, projected to land around #21, but it will depend on whether they win any playoff games.

By losing to the Giants in Week 18, we not only improved our draft stock, but we also moved New York back to #5. Had they lost to us, they would have a chance at the #1 pick again.

Moving up to #12 is huge for Dallas, as long as we actually move on to a new defensive coordinator. We may now have a shot at a guy like Caleb Downs, who could be a Swiss Army knife for us in the secondary and as a linebacker. If teams get QB hungry in the top 10, he could fall to us, but I’m definitely worried about Washington snagging him at 7.

Tankathon.com’s current mock draft has that happening, with us grabbing LSU corner Mansoor Delane at #12. Then, at #20 with the Green Bay pick, Dallas selects T.J. Parker, Defensive End from Clemson. As a Gamecock fan, it pains me to say this, but Clemson’s defense has three projected first-round picks, and all three seem pretty legit to me.

Today is Black Monday, AKA the first day after the NFL season in which coaches start getting fired. Jerry Jones hasn’t made it abundantly clear whether DC Matt Eberflus is going to be fired or not, but the defense has been so bad that the media is asking him TO HIS FACE in postgame press conferences.

Jeff Kolb on X/Twitter had a fun stat for how terrible the defense has been: after the Giants went for two and converted, our defense let up FIVE HUNDRED POINTS THIS SEASON. That has never happened before in the history of the Dallas Cowboys and some atrocious defenses, like in 2013 when Matt Eberflus was the LB coach for another historically terrible group.

If God is good to us, Eberflus and Kenneth Murray will be gone shortly. Trevon Diggs is already out, which will save us some serious money next offseason. In the coming days, we will see who is available for the DC role, and I really hope we can at least interview Brian Flores.

Updates to come. Happy offseason, Cowboys Nation.