The Dallas Cowboys' offseason program is officially over and now we turn to training camp for what's next.

According to Mike McCarthy, the team is reporting at Oxnard on July 24th with pads coming on in the 31st. Yes, that means football is relatively close. But camp isn't just about the feel-good vibes of having football near us.

It's about defining the roster spots and starting roles up for the taking. Let's dive into five of those starting positions that we still don't know who they belong to.

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1. Tight End

This will be the main event of the Cowboys training camp. Will second-year Jake Ferguson persevere or will it be rookie Luke Schoonmaker instead?

Each has a compelling argument to make. Schoonmaker is the better athlete and should provide the team with more upside. He's a clear fit into the team's offense and it shouldn't take him too long to adjust to the NFL.

On the other hand, Ferguson has already done the thing. As a rookie, he did enough to earn a shoutout from Travis Kelce during Super Bowl week. He has a knack for making some damage after the catch and won't make it easy on the rookie. Sure, he didn't play enough but among tight ends with his amount of targets (23), he had the third-highest NFL passer rating when targeted. His other stats are equally otherworldly. 

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2. Left Tackle / Left Guard / Right Tackle

These three go together because they depend on each other. Will the Cowboys stick to what they showed on minicamp and go with Tyron Smith and Tyler Smith at left tackle and left guard, respectively? Or is their OTAs plan – where they had Tyron at right tackle – their real plan? 

We just won't know for sure until the season starts. My guess is that both Tyron and Tyler will be on the left side, which would leave the right tackle spot open for Terence Steele when he's healthy. 

If Steele isn't ready to go, the Cowboys might already be looking at Matt Waletzko as their swing tackle.

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3. Inside linebacker

This could be somewhat controversial. After all, LB Damone Clark finished the season with five starts as a rookie. But all I'm saying is there's no such thing as a guaranteed starting spot in the lineup for a player with a snap count as low as 35%.

Sure, he's the favorite to play alongside veteran Leighton Vander Esch. But Clark will have to fight for his job. The good news for him is he doesn't seem to have a whole lot of competition. Jabril Cox walked away as a winner from the offseason but he's barely played defense during his first couple of seasons. He's played 45 snaps in two years against Clark's 398. 

Again, Clark is the overwhelming favorite to start. But he needs to prove himself in Oxnard to secure the gig.

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4. Nose tackle

Let's not overestimate how hard the transition to the NFL can be. Clearly, the Cowboys believe first-round draft pick Mazi Smith can contribute very early. But does that mean he'll be starting over Johnathan Hankins right away? Not necessarily. 

Smith will have to prove he's ready for the task at hand in training camp or he'll have to be the No. 2 in his position to start his career. 

If I had to bet, Mazi becomes the clear-cut starter in time. But I'm not convinced that shows since Week 1. There's certainly a learning curve he'll have to go through.

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5. Kicker 

Okay, you know about this one. The Cowboys are still looking at everybody else on Earth to fill in as the kicker. Tristan Viizcaino has had his ups and downs in the offseason but he hasn't been as consistent to make us think the front office will stop searching.

 Expect a signing here when we get closer to training camp.

Featured image via Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports