3 burning questions hanging over Cowboys as offseason workouts begin

The Cowboys are going to be heavily relying on their offense to keep them in games while the defense continues to learn Christian Parker's schemes. Guyton is the best left tackle option for Dallas with this current roster, and they need him to protect quarterback Dak Prescott's blindside. If he isn't on the field, the best result for the Cowboys' offense would be increased pressure off the edge that disrupts Prescott's timing and comfort in the pocket. The worst would be another serious Prescott injury.

2. Can Christian Parker staff get this defense clicking early?

Christian Parker is the defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys

If it seems as though every season, the Cowboys are installing a new defensive scheme after firing their previous defensive coordinator, it's because they are. Each time this happens, fans are subjected to watching a unit that still hasn't been able to grasp the scheme. Parker's main goal prior to the start of the season will be to get his players up to speed as quickly as possible.

Parker came to Dallas with a reputation of being a great communicator, someone who figures out how to relate to his guys and use that to get the best out of them. It's worked for him in the past, bringing out the best in players, players like the Broncos Pat Surtain, and the Eagles' Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean.

This time around, Parker's the defensive coordinator and not a positional coach. He'll have more responsibilities and won't be able to devote the majority of his time to the secondary.

He's going to have to rely on his hand-picked staff to get the job done for him. It will be interesting to see if they'll have that same ability to tap into their player's potential and grow it.

3. Can this Cowboys defense stay healthy?

Jun 10, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. (27) goes through a drill during practice at the Ford Center at the Star Training Facility in Frisco, Texas. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images

It feels as though this is a recurring issue for Dallas on defense, and this season is no different. Last season, the Cowboys' defense saw 12 players go down with injuries. Heading into the 2026 season, Dallas heads into OTAs with two big defensive contributors on the mend. Cornerback DaRon Bland (foot) and Donovan Ezeiruaku (hip) may be ready for offseason workouts at the earliest, or not until training camp.

They also have players who they believe will contribute heavily on defense this season, who have their own injury concerns based on their history. Cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. (knee), linebacker DeMarvion Overshown (knee), and safety Malik Hooker (foot) all missed games last season, either coming back from an injury or getting injured during the season. If the Cowboys' defense wants to take a step forward in 2026, they'll need to pick up Parker's scheme, but more importantly, stay healthy.

This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: 3 burning questions hanging over Cowboys as offseason workouts begin