NFL
By: Greg Rector
So, the Dallas Cowboys are in Oxnard, California, and training camp has begun.
Yes, Jerry Jones had his State of the Cowboys press conference, and I’m ignoring his usual antics. I’m also ignoring Stephen Jones, as I usually do. I will write about what the Dallas Cowboys will be on the field for the 2024 NFL season.
Dallas Cowboys Offense
The Dallas Cowboys offense has many issues heading into the 2024 NFL season. I won’t discuss the lack of contracts for Dak Prescott or Ceedee Lamb as everyone else does. The rest of the world has been discussing the lack of both deals.
Instead, I’m going to focus on the offense as a whole. The offensive line is a massive concern for the Dallas Cowboys and the Cowboys Nation. Can Tyler Guyton play LT and keep Dak Prescott’s blind side safe? Is the third-round draft pick Cooper Beebe the center, or will Brook Hoffman be the center?
Who the heck is going to run the football for the Dallas Cowboys? Ezekiel Elliott is back, but he isn’t going to be the same player he once was. Can Rico Dowdle be the lead back? Or do the Dallas Cowboys find someone else to join the backfield? For my money, I pray the Chicago Bears let go of Khalil Herbert, and he comes to Dallas. Royce Freeman isn’t going to get the job done, nor is Deuce Vaughn. Vaughn was a wasted draft pick in the 2023 NFL draft.
The 2023 NFL draft class saw zero contributions for the Dallas Cowboys, and if Luke Schoonmaker and Deuce Vaughn can’t contribute, the Dallas Cowboys draft class will be a complete waste for the offensive side of the football.
Does Trey Lance show he’s ready to play for the Dallas Cowboys in the future? I’m not holding my breath to see that happen.
Who the heck is going to catch the football outside of Ceedee Lamb? Brandin Cooks has struggled to find his place in Mike McCarthy’s Texas Coast offense. Michael Gallup has now retired, and Jalen Tolbert has shown nothing as a third receiving option. Despite not playing for a big-name college team, my hope is that Ryan Flournoy continues to show what he did at the OTAs and mandatory minicamp. Jake Ferguson is a fine tight end, and if Schoonmaker continues to struggle, the Dallas Cowboys’ best hope is that John Stephens Jr steps up and shows the signs he did before he was injured last season.
So, indeed, the Dallas Cowboys offense has plenty of questions as training camp starts.
Dallas Cowboys Defense
As you all know, I have always been a defensive guy. The defensive side of the game matters just as much as the offensive side. I was so disappointed seeing how the Green Bay Packers took apart the Dallas Cowboys’ defense in the playoff game last season.
You all know I already have my doubts regarding Micah Parsons, and I said it last season long before his misadventure against the Packers. Again, though, I will focus on what the defense looks like on the field for the 2024 NFL season.
This defensive line scares the daylights out of me. Of course, the first-round draft pick from “That School Up North” in the 2023 NFL draft, Mazi Smith, needs to be much better than he displayed in his rookie season. Demarcus Lawrence isn’t getting any younger. As I write this article, Sam Williams has been carted off the field, and his knee doesn’t look good. So, can Vilami Fehoko, another 2023 draft class member, step in and do something if Williams misses time? Or does rookie Marshawn Kneeland need to step up significantly?
Mike Zimmer needs to get this entire group to play much better against the running game, especially against the San Francisco 49ers and other NFC playoff teams. I hope we don’t see Markquese Bell needing to play linebacker as he had to last season. Does 32-year-old Erik Kendricks change things? I don’t believe he does. Can Demarvion Overshown be effective after his injury last season? Does former Notre Dame linebacker Marist Liufau contribute to more than special teams?
For those folks who claim we should not sign Stephon Gilmore because Trevon Diggs will be back, I’m sorry. I’m not sold on any Dallas Cowboys player returning as good as they were before ACL surgery. Until I see Diggs playing again, I remain skeptical regarding the Cowboys’ secondary being as good as it was previously. Caelen Carson, a 2024 NFL draft pick, may need to prove himself early this season, or Eric Scott may need to prove something in another 2023 draft pick.
I will continue to be a Dallas Cowboys fan, as I have been for the last 55 seasons. However, I doubt how the Cowboys will play in the 2024 NFL season. You can hear me talk about the Cowboys on the TEAMNBSMedia YouTube channel on August 8th.
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