The Dallas Cowboys have received a lot of deserved flak for their free agency acquisitions the last two decadesspecifically the lack thereof. Not only did they sign very few players, but the signings they did make were of very little quality, too.With confidence, it can be said that a switch has somewhat flipped.On Monday alone, the Cowboys traded for DE Rashan Gary and signed S Jalen Thompson to assist their young, modern-day defensive coordinator, Christian Parker. This is all differentnone of this happened five, 10, or 15 years ago.However, while the change is welcomed, Dallas must keep going. The teams at the top never stop hunting the prospect of improvement.Revelational Perspective ChangeIts important to note where this change in heart from the Cowboys front office has seemingly appeared from. Some think this offseason was the beginning of the change. Others believe that the philosophy shifted when they traded for George Pickens; while thats closer to the starting point, it goes back a bit further than that.At the end of 2025, the Cowboys let go of now-Steelers Head Coach Mike McCarthy. In a move that was heavily scrutinized at the time, the Cowboys promoted from in-house, giving Brian Schottenheimer the lead job.This came off as the easy way out, particularly because of who was on the marketnotably Ben Johnsonand the fact that Dallas didnt even conduct searches outside their own doors.What the fans all ignored is that Schottenheimer was very much a modern-day coach. In an interview with Dallas 105.3 The Fan, for example, he emphasizes the importance of motion a vital tool used by all of the current best OCs.In todays day and age, if youre static, you give the advantage to the defense, Schottenheimer said, which is a clear-cut indication that he lives and thrives in the present and strives toward the future.If youre wondering how #Cowboys Brian Schottenheimer will use motion on offense, here is a clip from training camp that echoes what he said in his intro press conference.I think in todays day and age, if youre static, you give the advantage to the defense.: @1053thefanpic.twitter.com/KZdUDXZ34b Brandon Loree (@Brandoniswrite) February 1, 2025It sounds super simple, doesnt it? However, McCarthys offenses didnt really have that, and suffered at times for it. Schottenheimers did, and his emphasis on it led to OC Klayton Adams coming over from Arizona.Its not just offensively, too; the failed Matt Eberflus experiment frequently saw communication lapses, mainly against coaches from the Shanahan tree running the most modern offenses. Enter Christian Parker and Jalen Thompson, two young additions with modern-day success and modern-day philosophies.Unknown to all, the promotion of Schottenheimer was a look towards the future.Cowboys Quality AdditionsChristian Parkers arrival happened weeks ago, but the 34-year-old stood as a top commodity in Philadelphia. Once he became available, the coach with NFL and college success alike was a no-brainer to bring to Dallas.The Cowboys also picked up Rashan Gary who is coming off a 7.5-sack season and has a Pro Bowl nod to his name. He joins a pass rush in desperate need of some help for reference, Garys 7.5 sacks wouldve been second-best on the Cowboys last season. Hes young, has a solid pass-rushing resume, and is familiar with Coach Parker. All in all, its a great acquisition for a fourth-rounder.Safety Jalen Thompson is versatile, can tackle in space and has good range. He wont snag interceptions he hasnt snagged one in two years however, he makes great plays on the ball.pic.twitter.com/wCjPk9WPlP Film Collins (@filmcollins01) February 19, 2026Truly a wonderful change in philosophy in Dallas. Cowboys fans can only hope it continues.The Little Things Count TooThe little things Dallas is doing this offseason should be acknowledged, too. They signedP.J. Locke to add to their safety depth. Dallas also recently re-signed Javonte Williams and franchise taggedGeorge Pickens, ensuring both will be around for the teams immediate future.Theyve got some help in the DT department too Otito Ogbonniasigned a contract with the Cowboys.Even their failures are welcomes ones. They reportedly were in pursuit real pursuit of both Maxx Crosby and Trey Hendrickson, free agents they wouldnt have even looked at in the past. Yes, they ultimately struck out with both of them, but for once, the thought is what actually counts.Things are moving fast re Maxx Crosby. Last night Dallas thought they were close to a deal but since then other teams have raised the ante and potentially are offering the Raiders 2 1st round picks Expected Dallas to now shift their focus to Trey Hendrickson trey wingo (@wingoz) March 5, 2026It may not seem like much to some, but its honest work from Dallas. Hopefully, this turns into the new norm.What More Can They Do?Still, the Cowboys cant stop here. Yes, theyve gotten all these pieces, but they still must address more spots of concern. For example, theyve recently traded DT Osa Odighizuwa and Solomon Thomas to the 49ers and Titans, respectively, for draft capital. This opens up depth holes at DT holes they must address if they want to erase the ineffective trenches they had last season.Players like DJ Reader and DaQuan Jones are still on the market, and Dallas even has a bit more cap to work with. On top of this, the cornerback position could still use work through, though the free agent options in that department seem less enticing. Even then, they have picks No. 12 and No. 20 in the 2026 Draft to go after a major prospect in both areas.All in all, its nice to see Dallas being more on the front foot in free agency. Its a welcome change, and may it continue into the following years. However, good isnt good enough the best always adopt that mindset when pushing for greatness.Dallas is off to a good start, but they must continue for it to mean anything.The post Cowboys Start 2026 Offseason Stronger Than Usual, But Cant Let Up appeared first on The Lead.