Every year, the Dallas Cowboys are faced with pressure and the burden of expectations. It comes with the territory of being “America’s Team.” However, Dallas hasn’t been able to reach a Super Bowl in nearly 30 years, putting an even higher sense of urgency on the backs of the current players.
Some players face immense pressure as they try to put the team and the franchise’s history on their backs. While others are fighting to win jobs. We discuss and analyze the five Cowboys with the most pressure heading into the 2024 NFL season.
5 Dallas Cowboys Facing the Most Pressure in 2024
The biggest stars have the biggest spotlight; it just comes with the territory. While some of the most recognizable names on this list are there for obvious reasons, some are listed because of the heightened pressure they face personally this season.
Dak Prescott
Anytime you’re the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, it comes with a ridiculous amount of attention and scrutiny. Dak Prescott is no stranger to that, and as the Cowboys head into 2024, the veteran quarterback is once again tasked with trying to find a way to get this franchise over the hump.
The one thing that 2023 proved for Prescott is that the regular season may not even matter to him anymore. Despite being an MVP candidate and having the best statistical regular season of his career, he still gets talked about negatively due to the team’s playoff woes.
There isn’t much more he can prove in the regular season. He has won several division titles, has never had a losing season in which he was healthy for the majority of it, and continues to be at the top of every category statistically.
Until Prescott finds a way to carry this team to sustained playoff success, he will continue to have the most pressure in the NFL, whether that is fair or not.
Micah Parsons
Talk is cheap, that much we know. In the case of Micah Parsons, no matter what he says to the media or on a podcast, the only thing that will matter is how he and this team respond when the moment is the biggest.
Parsons is a generational talent but has been criticized this offseason for his off-the-field activities. Whether that is fair or not, it is his reality. The young superstar needs to find a way to continue elevating his game, putting his unit on his back, and taking this team to new heights.
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He has raised his sack total every year since getting into the NFL, and with a new system in place that could play into his strengths, the best may be yet to come. Without being able to do that, especially in a year that is his last before a massive payday, the pressure on Parsons is massive and continues to mount.
Tyler Guyton
Anytime you are drafted to replace a future Hall of Famer, you are under tremendous pressure. However, Tyler Guyton will be tasked with not only taking over for Tyron Smith but also switching from right tackle to left tackle to do so.
While it is a tough scenario for anyone, Guyton has no time to dwell on it as he will be thrown into the fire in Week 1 against Myles Garrett and the Cleveland Browns. How he responds in that challenge, and every one following that, could tell us a lot about how this Cowboys season is going to go.
Having a quality left tackle is paramount to a team’s success, and if Guyton isn’t up to the task, it could spell disaster for a Cowboys team that is still in a championship window.
Mazi Smith
To put it nicely, Mazi Smith’s Year 1 was less than ideal. The former Michigan Wolverine struggled to make an impact in his rookie season after being drafted in the first round. Expectations were high for Smith, and it didn’t pan out how anybody had hoped.
Fast forward to the present day, and under new leadership, new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer and Co. have a plan for Smith to make an impact and get back to play more like himself.
The numbers will never be eye-popping as a defensive tackle, but his ability to be a space eater, someone who can absorb blocks, and play in the backfield will be paramount to the Cowboys’ defensive front. With a lot of eyes on him this season to take a Year 2 leap, the pressure is through the roof for the former first-rounder.
Jalen Tolbert
It’s been said all offseason, and it still rings true two weeks into training camp: Jalen Tolbert faces the biggest opportunity on the team, which in turn provides some of the biggest pressure.
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Tolbert has made minimal impact on the Cowboys through two seasons, but with a glaring hole at the WR3 spot and him being in the pole position, the pressure to snatch the job has never been higher.
All indications are that he has been performing well thus far in camp, but he needs to if he is going to prolong his NFL career. The former third-round pick has been fighting for chances, and if he isn’t able to take control of the job that is waiting for him, it could spell trouble for him.