Blogging The Boys
After two straight losses, the Cowboys’ comeback story has all but ended. While still technically alive in the NFC playoff race, it would take near-impossible circumstances for Dallas to worm their way back into the tournament. Given that, our rooting guides will now focus on the much more realistic impact that these final weeks have on our 2026 draft picks.
Officially, Dallas could still win the NFC East if it wins out and the Eagles lose their remaining games. But the Cowboys, who’ve gone from surging to slumping, may not even beat the Chargers this Sunday. It’s also hard to imagine Philly losing twice to Washington over the final weeks. If we have to revisit this come Week 18, we gladly will. But we don’t expect to.
So, where does Dallas stand now in the 2026 draft? Our brief dalliance with renewed playoff hopes took us away from this conversation for a bit. According to the NFL, and basic math, the Cowboys’ original pick would be 14th in the current order. Their 6-7-1 record puts them definitively behind the 6-8 teams but ahead of the 7-7 crowd, eliminating the fuss over tiebreakers.
If the draft was now, here would be the first 18 picks for the non-playoff teams:
1. Giants 2-12
2. Raiders 2-12
3. Titans 2-12
4. Browns 3-11
5. Jets 3-11
6. Cardinals 3-11
7. Commanders 4-10
8. Saints 4-10
9. Bengals 4-10
10. Rams (from Falcons) 5-9
11. Dolphins 6-8
12. Vikings 6-8
13. Chiefs 6-8
14. Cowboys 6-7-1
15. Ravens 7-7
16. Panthers 7-7
17. Lions 8-6
18. Jets (from Colts) 8-6
With only three weeks to go, there’s only so much range for Dallas to rise or fall in the order. They can’t get any worse than 6-10-1, which means 3-11 teams like the Jets and Cardinals can’t be passed. The highest that the Cowboys can reach now in the order is the seventh pick, currently held by the 4-10 Washington Commanders. But that would require Dallas losing out and a lot of bad teams winning out, so it’s probably not happening.
The pick from Green Bay can’t be projected until we see if the Packers make the playoffs and where they finish. Where a team finishes in the playoffs is what decides their eventual pick, no matter how they entered the tournament. So obviously, we’re rooting for Green Bay to fall out of the postseason. And while we’re certainly not happy about Micah Parsons’ injury, that may help end up helping us.
Realistically, Dallas’ original pick should fall somewhere in the 11-16 range. If Green Bay does miss the tournament, they’ll still probably land in that 16-18 range. As we get into the Week 16 schedule, we’ll look at all of the games that could potentially help the Cowboys on either front.
Again, we’re focusing on next April now and not January. If you’re still hoping for a miracle in the NFC East, then you’re welcome to root for Philly...
