Cowboys 'Trophy Hunters'? NFC Super Bowl Contender Tiers Revealed

Entering the season as Super Bowl contenders once again, the Dallas Cowboys rank highly in CBS Sports' contenders tier list.

There is no denying that the Dallas Cowboys are Super Bowl contenders this season. They boast one of the deepest rosters in the NFL, with superstars littered across the field. 

The question, though, is just how real of a contender they truly are. Depending on who you ask, that answer will vary. If you ask CowboysSI.com, the NFC looks like a three-tam race. And, yes ... According to CBS Sports they are in the NFC's top "trophy hunters" tier, alongside the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers. 

"The Cowboys are technically the least qualified among the trio, failing to reach the NFC Championship Game since 1995," CBS Sports writes. "But they've won 12 games in back-to-back years."

While it may come off as a slight that the Cowboys are considered the "least qualified" of the three teams in their tier, it is really a fair assessment based on recent history (though unfair in regard to the "1995 thing,'' which has nothing to do with players in 2023). Philadelphia and San Francisco faced off in the NFC championship game last season, with the Eagles going on to hang with the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl before a close loss.

Despite that, however, there is plenty of reason to believe the Cowboys are just as, if not more capable of doing so. 

Like we said earlier, the Cowboys are absolutely loaded from top to bottom across the roster. They addressed the need for a second receiver to complement CeeDee Lamb this offseason, trading for veteran Brandin Cooks. 

Elsewhere on offense they have the always reliable Dak Prescott calling the shots at quarterback, with a deep backfield rotation headed by Tony Pollard lining up behind him as part of the new "Texas Coast Offense.''

Not to be outdone, the defense features its own fair share of superstars - namely linebacker Micah Parsons and cornerback Trevon Diggs, both considered among the best in the NFL at their respective positions. 

Alongside them are key defenders like defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, linebacker Leighton Vander Esch and the offseason addition of cornerback Stephon Gilmore, just to name a few. 

On paper, the Cowboys have the roster to compete with any team in the league this fall. If they can finally get over the hump in the playoffs, this could be the team that ends their nearly 30-year Super Bowl drought. ... and that hunted trophy can finally be captured.

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You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98

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