After the Cowboys' offseason moves, many are of the belief that Brian Schottenheimer's team will be pushing to make the playoffs.
FRISCO - The groundswell of support of the idea of the Dallas Cowboys making a 2026 playoff run continues to grow after an offseason that has seen ample change both on and off the field.
Of course, while there are some who think the Cowboys can go on a deep playoff run, there are others who aren't as bullish on Dallas.
And then there is second-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer, who spoke to us here inside The Star on Thursday as part of Dallas' OTAs.
And you can guess where his optimistically-leaning head is at.
Still ...
Christian Parker is unknown as a rookie defensive coordinator, plus we aren't entirely sure how his vision will be executed.
And can we expect the Dak Prescott-led offense to be as elite as it was last season?
So there are a lot of "ifs'' surrounding the Cowboys in 2026, but there is more hope than usual that this upcoming season can see Schottenheimer's team become something tangible.
And the "hope'' doesn't just eminate from the head coach's office.
For ESPN's Seth Walder, who has released the latest Football Power Index, has the Cowboys at No. 11, in front of the Cincinnati Bengals (No. 12), Houston Texans (No. 13), New England Patriots (No. 14), the Denver Broncos (No. 15), and the Chicago Bears (NO. 16).
Here is what goes into Football Power Index's criteria for the rankings.
"FPI's preseason predictive ratings are primarily based on win totals from the betting market in conjunction with each team's schedule -- along with factors such as the difference between a team's starting and backup quarterback and a special teams rating that incorporates specific kickers," Walder wrote. "We use these ratings to simulate the season thousands of times, with the results forming our projections."
So the Cowboys are at No. 11, which makes them a borderline playoff team according to this index.
They are the sixth-highest-ranked NFC team, so that tells you how Dallas is viewed in the NFC pecking order. Plus, the Philadelphia Eagles are at No. 10, one spot above the Cowboys, so the NFC East crown could be staying in Philly too.
Plus, in Walder's piece, the Cowboys have the 16th best percentage to win the Super Bowl, with just a 2.6 percent chance to claim their first Lombardi Trophy in over three decades.
Now, this is all a projection, but it does give us another idea of how Schottenheimer's Cowboys are being viewed at this early stage of the offseason. ...
A middle-of-the-pack team with the potential to be something more.
We know what the offense is. But the defense remains a work in progress, and how quickly Parker can get his unit settled and playing the sort of football he wants could determine how far Dallas goes in 2026.
But the FPI clearly has high hopes for Schottenheimer's Cowboys - as does the coach himself.
