Rich's Bullish Cowboys 2026 Take

Jerry Jones addressed George Pickens and the franchise tag, and Rich took the bait with genuine optimism about the Cowboys' 2026 roster build.

Jerry's line was plainspoken: long-term plans are in place for Pickens, and everyone is working inside the franchise tag conditions for now. Let it play itself out.

TJ was the honest voice on the panel. He is flipping. First he liked the signing, then other voices convinced him the money could be better deployed filling defensive gaps, and now he is unsure whether paying another receiver that much money makes sense when the roster has real holes.

Rich's frame was wider. The NFL template for paying two top-dollar receivers at once belongs to Cincinnati with Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, and Detroit with Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. Both those teams also pay their quarterback. Dallas is building toward the same model, Dak, CeeDee Lamb, and Pickens, and the question is whether the defense can keep up.

On defense, Rich made a surprising claim without irony: he would take Dallas's defense over Cincinnati's right now. Trey Hendrickson has left Cincinnati. Quinnen Williams is legit, but Dallas has added Kenny Clark, Quinnen Williams, and Rashan Gary, with DaRon Bland behind them, making for a ferocious front. He conceded missing out on Nakobe Dean hurt. The back end is still a question.

Rich's thesis is the draft closes the gap. Two corners on the back end, another smart signing, and the front seven already looks better on paper than it did a year ago. The build looks like this: tight end, two receivers, a running back signed in free agency, the offensive line, Dak at quarterback, and a defensive line that can actually win downs. If it all comes together, Rich is ready to put the Cowboys in the top three or four of the NFC. TJ was not ready to go that far. Not yet over the Eagles in the division.

The bit came on Jerry's new soundbite, which the crew played back on a loop: "When the ducks quack, feed them." The laughter came easy. Squirrels up. Squirrels doctors. Powerhouse.

On whether anyone would match a Pickens offer sheet and give up two first-round picks: nobody, according to Rich. TJ pointed to Maxx Crosby's recent market as a counter. Rich shut it down. That is not happening.

The closing posture from Rich was clear. Laugh all you want at the Joneses. The roster is coming together.