4 Cowboys' starting roles that are still up for grabs heading into training camp
We all love training camp battles and soon enough, it will be time for Dallas Cowboys players to be right in the middle of them in Oxnard, California.There will be a lot of wars going on for those precious roster spots and underrated depth roles but as far as starting jobs go, the reality is […]
We all love training camp battles and soon enough, it will be time for Dallas Cowboys players to be right in the middle of them in Oxnard, California.
There will be a lot of wars going on for those precious roster spots and underrated depth roles but as far as starting jobs go, the reality is there will be very few battles for fans to enjoy and monitor. In my view, the exact number is four.
Let’s break down the Cowboys’ starting roles that are still up for grabs heading into camp.
Linebacker 2
The Cowboys claim there will be a lot more 4-3 looks in their defense in 2024 but NFL offenses will force them to play nickel most of the time. That means only two linebackers will be on the field for the majority of the snaps. Eric Kendricks, who is projected to be the middle linebacker and green dot defender of Mike Zimmer’s defense, is essentially guaranteed a starting role.
But who will play beside him is an intriguing question and one of the most important storylines entering training camp. On the one hand, Damone Clark has the experience edge having started last year while taking on different roles within the position. But second-year linebacker DeMarvion Overshown impressed coaches throughout training camp as a rookie before tearing his ACL in the preseason. He’ll put up a fight against Clark as soon as he’s fully healthy.
Wide Receiver 3
Speaking of the NFL being a three-wide receiver league, the Cowboys have a decision to make at the position. Jalen Tolbert doesn’t have the job secured even though he benched Michael Gallup halfway through the 2023 regular season. A big reason for that is the emergence of Jalen Brooks, who is turning heads in practice as a former seventh-round draft pick. Just about everyone who was around for OTAs and minicamp agreed there’s a battle going on between the two Jalens.
Add KaVontae Turpin to the mix, whose role on offense might take another leap in his third year with the Cowboys. And although Deuce Vaughn is unlikely to make a full transition to wide receiver, he might earn a role out of the slot after working at the position during the spring. It remains to be seen if a clear-cut WR3 will win the battle or if Dallas will opt for a committee-style approach.
Center
This is arguably the most important battle that will take place during Cowboys training camp. On one corner, you’ve got the exciting third-round rookie Cooper Beebe, who was immediately asked by the coaching staff to start practicing as a center after primarily playing guard at Kansas State. Even as a third-rounder, Beebe is believed to be a plug-and-play type player and with his nasty and violent style of blocking, he might be just what the doctor order for a lackluster Cowboys running game.
On the other end of the battle is Brock Hoffman, who held his own when thrown into the fire last year while Tyler Biadasz was injured. The Cowboys offense is replacing two starters in its front five and who they choose to snap the football down in and down out will be one of the most important decisions they make all year.
Running back? Technically?
This is a tricky one. The Cowboys have admitted they’re expecting to approach the position through a committee rather than having the one starter. But ultimately, somebody will get the majority of the snaps. If he can stay healthy, that man might be Rico Dowdle, who has had Mike McCarthy’s respect all along and who might provide the most explosiveness for the Cowboys.
But then again, even if Ezekiel Elliott isn’t a home run hitter anymore, he’s still built as the workhorse many coaches would appreciate in the NFL. It does seem it’ll come down to these two and it might be an underrated storyline once camp kicks off.
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