Fresh off another failed playoff run in 2023, the Dallas Cowboys head into the new season facing a pivotal crossroads for their franchise. With a “show me, don’t tell me” approach being taken by the fan base (probably more so than ever), the time is now for Dallas to get over their almost three-decade championship hump.
Despite the high-end talent on the roster, the Cowboys still have noticeable question marks as they embark on Week 1. We identify and analyze three of their biggest areas of concern as they head into 2024.
Areas of Concern Facing Cowboys in 2024
Lack of Proven Pass-Rush Depth
When former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn was in Dallas, the emphasis was on having several pass rushers rotate in and stay fresh throughout a game. The idea was a good one, producing an elite group that made getting to the quarterback a consistent part of their identity.
However, as Mike Zimmer comes in and takes over the unit, the group is noticeably thinner than last year.
When Quinn took over as the Washington Commanders’ head coach, he brought along former Cowboys Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler, strengthening his new group and denting the depth he helped build in Dallas.
Now, Dallas heads into 2024 with only two established pass rushers — Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence — and a bunch of unknowns behind them.
Included in that group are second-round rookie Marshawn Kneeland and oft-injured veteran Carl Lawson, who is currently on the team’s practice squad. Rounding out the group are former defensive tackles Chauncey Golston and Tyrus Wheat.
Dallas has high hopes for Kneeland as he embarks on his first NFL season. But right now, all the Cowboys have is hope, with no evidence to lean on.
As for Lawson, he’s shown the ability to get after the quarterback but hasn’t been able to stay consistently healthy throughout his career.
With so many questions and hopes surrounding this group, if it doesn’t pan out the way Dallas envisions, a once feared group could be middle of the pack in 2024. With Zimmer’s defense predicated on disguises and pressure, if the Cowboys can’t consistently get the pressure part, it puts the rest of the group in a compromised position.
2 Rookie Starters on the Offensive Line Cause Uneasiness
A potential reason people are down on the Cowboys nationally is the ideology that games are won up front. And with Dallas having serious question marks on both sides of the line of scrimmage, it doesn’t take much to see why there may be apprehension.
Dallas heads into Week 1 with a rookie left tackle and rookie center, manned by first-round pick Tyler Guyton and third-round selection Cooper Beebe, respectively. The combination of the two has the Cowboys feeling good about the future, with both showing real promise early in camp and in preseason games.
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However, how ready are they for Week 1 against a quality defense in Cleveland, anchored by Myles Garrett? They will get answers to this question on the fly, and with growing pains expected, how bad it can get will help identify Dallas’ ceiling in 2024.
Again, the long-term prognosis has the franchise excited, but strictly speaking, in 2024 (especially Week 1), the idea of starting two rookies at two crucial spots will have anyone holding their breath for a while.
Running Back Room Is a Mystery
If this was 2018, and you said you had a running back room comprised of Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook, people would be doing backflips. However, six years later, the conversation being had is very different.
The combination is the result of the Cowboys almost implementing the Zero RB fantasy football strategy in real life. With Dallas firmly set on resetting its spending at the position, they’ve opted to bargain shop at the spot to hold them together in 2024.
Even in a league that is slowly but surely devaluing high-priced running backs, this seems to be taking that idea to the extreme. With Cook and Elliott in the fold, it’s a very real possibility that neither is the de facto RB1, with that role potentially belonging to Rico Dowdle. With this being his first chance to see a real increase in opportunities, Dowdle has been a career-long RB2 and RB33 throughout his entire NFL tenure.
Even so, he looks to be the back with the most burst and fresh legs, setting up for him to be the guy, whatever that looks like this season.
Rounding out the group is 5’6″ Deuce Vaughn, who Dallas struggled to get involved in the game correctly last season.
The group as a whole has some intriguing pieces to work with. Cook and Elliott bring the bruiser mentality with respected résumés. Dowdle brings fresh legs and an eagerness to prove he belongs, while Vaughn is a speedster with game-breaking speed worthy of touches.
How Dallas will make it all work remains to be seen and is, potentially, the key to success. If they don’t unlock the right combination of usage this year, it could look just as bad as everyone thinks it can.