Teams enter training camp filled with questions they are looking to find the answers for. The Dallas Cowboys are no different in that regard and, in some senses, may have more than others.
As Week 3 of training camp begins, we examine the Cowboys’ state and analyze five of their biggest remaining questions.
5 Questions the Cowboys Still Need To Answer
For a team loaded with top-end talent that is choosing to rely so heavily on youth and inexperience, Dallas comes into the 2024 season with more questions than most other contenders. The Cowboys still believe they have their championship window wide open but will need some answers before Week 1 to help put it all together.
Beyond Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence, Where Does the Pass Rush Come From?
Dallas came into training camp having already lost both Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler to the Washington Commanders in the offseason, knowing they were thin at the position. The hope was that the combination of Sam Williams and second-round rookie Marshawn Kneeland would be enough to help Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence.
However, Williams suffered a significant knee injury in the first week of training camp, throwing a wrench into the plans almost immediately. Dallas has added two veteran pieces to the mix with Al-Quadin Muhammad and Shaka Toney, but is that enough?
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Kneeland is expected to play an even bigger role than initially thought … but without any game experience. Looking at the position as a whole, there is very little reason to be confident in anyone beyond Parsons and Lawrence.
The group consists of Tyrus Wheat, Viliami Fehoko Jr., Durrell Johnson, and Byron Vaughns. Not really household names in the group there to feel good about.
There is a chance that this group could rise to the occasion and surprise people, but banking on it feels like a poor decision. Will they add at the roster cutdown date, will they trade for someone, and who will assist Parsons and Lawrence? These are all very real and impactful questions to ponder as the team enters the third week of training camp.
Is Tyler Guyton the Week 1 Starter?
While Tyler Guyton was drafted to be a franchise left tackle and has made a strong early first impression, he will have to show it in live-game action to instill any confidence.
Entering Week 3 of training camp, Guyton has been dealing with an illness that has limited his ability to be on the field, and while it isn’t a big deal, he is missing value reps leading up to what should be his first NFL action.
Behind Guyton is veteran Chuma Edoga, who serves as his primary backup. While he is a seasoned vet who can play multiple spots, Edoga being your Week 1 starter against Myles Garrett and the Cleveland Browns is a less-than-ideal situation.
The Cowboys may not know what they have in Guyton yet, but they certainly do know what Edoga brings, which isn’t all that inspiring for a team looking to break through in the playoffs.
How Does the Wide Receiver Room Shake Out?
The top two names in the wide receiver room are easy to identify. When CeeDee Lamb comes back from his holdout, he is the alpha of the group, followed by crafty veteran Brandin Cooks. However, beyond that, there is a bit of a situation that needs to be sorted out.
Jalen Tolbert came into camp in the driver’s seat for the WR3 spot, and his play to this point has done nothing to dislodge him from that role. Tolbert has flashed several times over the last couple of weeks and has even gotten those around the team excited for a potential breakout.
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However, the rest of the group feels like a much less settled situation. If Dallas opts to keep five wide receivers, it leaves only one spot up for grabs after special-teams ace KaVontae Turpin is factored in. With this group is reportedly playing well as a whole, the Cowboys may have their hand forced into keeping six guys at the position.
Tyron-Billy Johnson, Jalen Brooks, and Jalen Moreno-Cropper have all garnered attention in this camp as standouts at one point. But with only one or two roster spots open, that leaves potentially two of them off the team.
It sounds like a good problem until you have to decide who gets left off. The Cowboys are in that position as training camp continues.
Who Is Their Starting Running Back?
People often say that if you have two starting quarterbacks you don’t have any, and some might wonder if that also applies to the Cowboys’ running back position. With no clear lead back in the group, the Cowboys find themselves wondering not only who their starter is but how the distribution of carries pan out.
Ezekiel Elliott is the familiar veteran, while Rico Dowdle has been around a while and may be the most talented of the backs on the roster at the moment, followed by Royce Freeman, Deuce Vaughn, Malik Davis, and Snoop Conner. Factor in fullback Hunter Luepke, and that’s a lot of names with not a lot of certainty.
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Dallas has already alluded to a committee approach at running back, but the question of who will get the first crack at the top job on game day remains. It may be a week-by-week scenario with the team riding the hot hand, but that begs the question of whether that is a sound plan or not.
Will they add a starter via trade or after cutdown day? Or will they decide to roll with what they have as they look to not allocate too many resources to a position they have historically spent a lot on?
Does Dak Prescott Get a New Deal Before the Season?
While a new contract for Lamb by the start of the season appears to be fairly realistic, that appears to be far less likely for Dak Prescott.
Dallas’ decision-makers have continuously told us they want to close a deal with Prescott and keep him with the team for years to come. However, their actions haven’t met their words, which won’t put an end to the speculation regarding his long-term future in Dallas any time soon.
The amount of money and the number of years are surely the sticking points, but as this situation ages, it could have massive implications for the Cowboys and the future of their franchise.
If Prescott hits the open market, there could be a bidding war for his services. With Prescott on record saying he prefers not to focus on contract negotiations during the season, the Cowboys face a greater risk of losing their franchise quarterback if they don’t get a deal done soon.
Could that line of thinking set a deadline date before Week 1? If so, the clock is ticking.