OTA’s are here again and the Cowboys are getting their first views of what the 2023-24 team will look like. Returning vets, players coming off an injury, rookie draft picks, UDFAs, and off-season additions.
While the team has a plethora of talent, especially on the defensive side of the ball, there will still be tough decisions to be made on roster spots. However, they will also field the most talented and deep roster on both sides of the ball for the first time in nearly 20 years.
Just looking at the players in the building now, we see the majority of players who are most likely to make the team, but which positions groups will go light?
Do the Cowboys go heavy at secondary but light at linebacker? Do they stockpile a number of receivers or running backs?
It’s very early, but just on projection, we can see just how skilled the Cowboys will look come September.
Quarterbacks
3*: Dak Prescott, Cooper Rush, Will Grier
With the new rule in place, the Cowboys are able to keep all three quarterbacks on the roster without having it count against the final 53, which is great news for both Rush and Grier, who each fought tooth and nail last preseason to earn the backup job.
Now, the Cowboys have two reliable backups behind a top-10 NFL QB in, Dak Prescott in place. All of whom have mobility and accuracy on the run to keep the same pace of play on offense, regardless of the personnel on the field.
Running Backs
4: Tony Pollard, Deuce Vaughn, Malik Davis, Hunter Luepke
With Tony Pollard returning from injury, it wouldn’t surprise me if Dalvin Cook is of interest to the Cowboys’ front office. However, given the players in place, it should only be considered with who’s in the building.
Rookies Deuce Vaughn and Hunter Luepke will earn their roles as rookies on special teams, but what they add to the offense is speed and the ability to play multiple spots (Vaughn) as well as a valuable blocker and short-yardage fullback (Lupeke).
In regards to RB2, it will come down to Malik Davis (24) vs. Ronald Jones (26 in August). Davis wins in both familiarity and power, an aspect the Cowboys’ backfield needs. Jones has had some success as a rotational RB2, but at this moment in time, Davis provides more upside for the backfield.
Wide Receivers
7: CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks, Michael Gallup, KaVontae Turpin, Jalen Tolbert, Simi Fehoko, Jalen Moreno-Cropper
Lamb, Cooks and Gallup will be the starting trio, while Pro Bowl KR/PR Turpin will be a WR in name only.
Considering the Cowboys traditionally keep seven under HC Mike McCarthy, that leaves three realistic spots open. Fehoko is on his last leg and Tolbert is only in his second season after being drafted as a third-round pick. It’s helpful that the competition behind them isn’t very deep.
However, for the seventh WR the honor goes to Moreno-Cropper, who has better route-running ability than their seventh-round pick Jalen Brooks. While special teams will be the deciding factor, JMS’ abilities as a pure playmaker will be what makes him too valuable to pass up.
Tight Ends
4: Jake Ferguson, Peyton Hendershot, Sean McKeon, Luke Schoonmaker
The Cowboys thought highly enough of both Jake Ferguson and Peyton Hendershot to allow Dalton Schultz to leave in free agency. With Ferguson showing promise as a blocker and upside as a receiver, with Hendershot as the presumed TE2.
Schoonmaker is a roster lock, being a second-round pick, despite being possibly the most scrutinized pick of the draft class. There’s no doubting his intangibles (6’5″, 250 pounds, 4.63 40) and developed the run-blocking ability, but he will be competing for snaps.
McKeon continues to play well enough to make the roster since being an undrafted free agent in 2020. His blocking abilities and versatility on special teams make him an underrated value piece they can’t afford to let go of.
Offensive Line
9: Tyler Smith, Tyron Smith, Tyler Biadasz, Zack Martin, Chuma Edoga, Asim Richards, Matt Farniok, Matt Waletzko, Alec Lindstrom
Another asterisk* is needed for this. This is under the assumption that Terence Steele won’t be ready to start the season and will start the year on short-term IR. Making Tyler the starter at left tackle and Tyron the starter at right tackle.
Already in OTAs, we’ve seen players like Edoga, Richards, and Farniok all take snaps at left guard and will all compete for the starting left guard spot. At the same time, the others will make quality depth pieces who can play multiple spots.
Expect Lindstrom to take a step in year two as the backup center, assuming we see more of Farniok at guard, and for Waletzko to compete with Josh Ball for the final swing tackle position. Reminder that Waletzko outplayed Ball last offseason prior to his injury and given Ball’s lack of development so far, there’s no confidence that it shouldn’t be any different.
Defensive Line
9: DeMarcus Lawrence, Sam Williams, Dorance Armstrong, Dante Fowler, Viliami Fehoko, Osa Odighizuwa, Johnathan Hankins, Mazi Smith, Chauncey Golston,
The Cowboys have an embarrassment of riches at edge. Especially if you factor in Micah Parsons. With Lawrence and Williams as the team’s best combo ends who can both rush the passer and play the run. Having Armstrong and Fowler as well who can provide plenty of pressure.
With players like Fehoko and Golston, the Cowboys have a pair of versatile run defenders who will factor into the front four on select fronts. However, it will largely depend on if either or both play primarily inside or on the edges.
Odighizuwa, Smith and Hankins will be the primary players inside. While Odighizuwa will be the pass rusher at 3T and Hankins as the run defender at NT, it will be Smith who we see play both depending on the front four rotations, as well as if the expected play—making their first-round draft pick all the more important in year one.
In the span of three seasons, the Cowboys have turned an obvious weakness into one of the deepest position groups on the roster.
Linebackers
5: Micah Parsons, Leighton Vander Esch, DeMarvion Overshown, Damone Clark, Devin Harper
Parsons and Vander Esch should come as no surprise. One is an elite player and arguably the best all-around defensive player in the league; the other is a run-stuffing stalworth who owns the MIKE position.
When it comes to Overshown and Clark, the Cowboys have a pair of young, talented players who will be year-one contributors with starter potential for each.
Finally, Harper comes in as the replacement for Luke Gifford and potentially CJ Goodwin as the special teams ‘Ace’ player. The run-down player on kickoff and punts, keeping John Fassel’s unit among the league’s best.
The surprise here might be Jabril Cox, which even would disappoint me, but these five linebackers all have clear roles, in addition to a number of safeties (listed below) who play roles similar to an outside linebacker, making a sixth player expendable.
Defensive Backs
10: Trevon Diggs, Stephon Gilmore, DaRon Bland, Jourdan Lewis, Myles Brooks, Jayron Kearse, Donovan Wilson, Malik Hooker, Israel Mukuamu, Markquese Bell
This should come as no surprise as the Cowboys are five-deep at safety and four-deep at cornerback, with players like Kearse, Mukuamu, Bell, Bland and Wilson all playing in multiple roles and spots on the defense. Not simply confining them to select areas.
The only surprises here should be the absence of CJ Goodwin and the presence of UDFA Myles Brooks. Simply put, Brooks’ ball skills make him a better fit in this Dan Quinn defense. His tape is even better than fifth-round pick Eric Scott’s.
With both Nahshon Wright and Kelvin Joseph each competing for a spot, they would’ve had a better chance when the defense was looking for answers in the secondary. Now, the numbers game might have the on the outside looking in.
Special Teams
3: Bryan Anger, Trent Sieg, Kicker to be named later
Anger and Sieg come as no surprise. Anger is playing some of his best football, while Sieg comes over from the Raiders in place of inconsistencies at long snapper for the first time since 2004.
As far as the kicker goes, Tristan Vizcaino is only the kicker in name only at the moment. No one, not the coaches, personnel, or players, have committed to Vizcaino, and it likely won’t be until we get to training camp that the Cowboys bring in kickers for workouts to compete for the job.
(Keep your eyes on Mason Crosby).
Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
