Overlooked Cowboys’ roster battle will likely be determined in preseason games, not practice

The Dallas Cowboys' preseason will kick off on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams and the truth is that causes some mixed feelings: On the one hand and most importantly, football is back!

On the other, Cowboys fans are unlikely to see many starters out there on the field as head coach Mike McCarthy tends to focus on prioritizing his top players' health. But there are still many position battles to monitor closely, and that includes one which has been significantly overlooked in training camp so far:

Kickoff returner.

That's right. Unless you've been completely disconnected from the NFL world since the Cowboys lost that playoff game to the Green Bay Packers (which would be totally understandable, of course), you probably know the league is implementing new kickoff rules. There are a lot of details to know about it but in short, the new rule will make kickoffs relevant again as kicking teams are discouraged from kicking touchbacks and returning teams are encouraged to take the ball and run with it. 

Per the rules, up to two players will be allowed to line up in the "landing zone" - set between the 0 and 20-yard line to attempt to field and return the ball, while the rest of the unit lines up between the 30 and 35 to block. 

The rules heavily imply that NFL teams will be better off with two returners instead of one and McCarthy admitted in a recent press conference that's the directions most coaching staffs around the league are heading on. Naturally, this brings up an important question... 

Who will return kickoffs beside KaVontae Turpin? 

We know about Turpin's skillset and how much the Cowboys value his speed and elusiveness as a returner. He's going to be the top dog at the position. But ultimately, Dallas needs two strong returners, otherwise teams will simply kick it away from No. 9. 

Therefore, this is a highly important roster battle albeit an overlooked one. Being the right kickoff returner for the Cowboys could be enough to make the difference for those aspiring for a spot on the 53-man roster. Perhaps there's a darkhorse young wide receiver on the roster bubble whose tiebreaker could be all about his performance as a returner (more on that later!). 

So who are the candidates to be Turpin's best buddy? Well, there's a few of them, starting by those who are listed as kick or punt returners on the Cowboys' unofficial depth chart. They'll be competing for the spot and the best part is fans will get to enjoy the battle first-hand: Considering special teams is rarely practiced at 100% speed, effort, and tackling, preseason games will likely be what truly determines who wins this battle. 

Let's take a look at each of the players that could be up for the role and how good their chances are looking. 

• Rico Dowdle: Rico has a big-time advantage: He's making the roster anyways as the potential starting running back. Worst case scenario, he'll be No. 2 behind Ezekiel Elliott. The question becomes if the Cowboys want to risk arguably their top running back on a heavy special teams role? Perhaps the rules designed for fewer injuries leads to us watching bigger names on kick return when the season starts. 
• Jalen Cropper: This is a good one. Cropper faces an uphill battle to make the 53-man roster due to the Cowboys' deep WR room. If he's to make the team, he'd need the team to go long at wideout or to cut a big name such as Jalen Brooks (who they like) or Ryan Flournoy (this year's sixth-round draft pick). But if Cropper stands out as a returner, the Cowboys might find a way to pull off some roster gymnastics while opening up a spot for Cropper.
  
• Deuce Vaughn: Vaughn makes so much sense as kick returner because he's shifty, agile, and has a knack for playmaking. He's also far from a guarantee to make the roster though. His size would likely keep him from developing a special teams role beyond kick return. He's struggled in pass pro when on offense and is now dealing with a groin injury that could force him to miss preseason games.
• David Durden: Durden returned kicks in college, which is a slight advantage. But even though I expected him to become a training camp darling this year, we haven't heard much to suggest he's making the roster. He's likely the biggest longshot on the list.
• Ryan Flournoy: Flournoy isn't listed as a specialist on the unofficial depth chart and he wasn't much of a returner in college, recording five attempts in 22 games played. But he did run the 40-yard dash in 4.44 seconds, which ranks in the 75th percentile per MockDraftable. There could be something there.

When the Cowboys preseason kicks off, forget about that bathroom trip or that journey to the fridge for a cold one. All eyes should be on how the returners are doing. It should have a big impact on the roster's build.