Cowboys get much-needed optimism as offseason winds down

It's about time the Dallas Cowboys got some good news, and they just did. While this team usually isn't considered one of the top teams going into the new season, at least not lately, because they've been short of the playoffs for two seasons in a row, at least one set of NFL experts thinks they belong.

The Cowboys are top-10 material. That's the vibe from a new list ranking all of the NFL teams ahead of 2026.

Over at Yahoo Sports, their NFL staff has just released its roster of the best NFL teams going into the new season. They rank all 32 franchises, noting, "as training camps ramp up around the league, we've released our 2026 team previews and ranked them all."

Cowboys and Jerry Jones have something that makes them happy this offseason

So, where are the Cowboys? They're No. 8. That's really good, especially for a team that hasn't been to the postseason lately. Of course, Yahoo admits this is generous, but it still shows a massive amount of respect for Dallas amid training camp.

"The Cowboys are the most optimistic ranking on this countdown, and by a healthy margin," the Yahoo Sports Staff noted. "Having them ranked ahead of the Eagles could look pretty dumb early in the season if Dallas' defense is still bad, but I'm buying what the Cowboys did this offseason and trust the offense to maintain its level."

So, the Cowboys are even beating out the Philadelphia Eagles, at least in one group of analysts' view. But, even if it's "optimistic," it's something for the Cowboys to feel good about.