Eight members of the 2023 Dallas Cowboys were named on Pro Football Network’s Top 100 ranking, which is tied for the second-most NFL players ranked on this list.
Led by quarterback Dak Prescott and a dominant defensive player in Micah Parsons, the Cowboys are hoping their star power along both sides of the ball will finally be enough to end their conference championship drought entering the 2024 season.
Did we get the rankings right for America’s Team?
Top 100 Rankings for Dallas Cowboys Roster
Here is where the current Cowboy stars are listed on PFN’s full rankings:
- Micah Parsons, EDGE: 4th (second-best edge defender)
- CeeDee Lamb, WR: 14th (third-best wide receiver)
- Dak Prescott, QB: 32nd (fifth-best quarterback)
- Zack Martin, G: 67th (third-best guard)
- DaRon Bland, CB: 75th (eighth-best cornerback)
- DeMarcus Lawrence, EDGE: 78th (11th-best cornerback)
- Tyron Smith, LT: 84th (now signed to New York Jets)
- Trevon Diggs, CB: 88th (ninth-best cornerback)
Is Dak Prescott Worth a Top-5 QB Ranking?
Based solely on numbers from last year, Prescott is more than deserving of being a top-five quarterback heading into 2024. The Cowboys’ leader set career-high marks in passer rating (105.9) and completion percentage (69.5), while also recording over 4,500 yards passing and 36 touchdowns.
Regular-season numbers in 2023 don’t tell the full story about Prescott, though.
For a multitude of reasons, the Cowboys’ QB has consistently faltered in the postseason in recent years and even in big regular-season matchups. In Dallas’ last three playoff losses, Prescott has recorded games with a passer rating under 90 and just a 61% completion percentage.
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Prescott’s QBR hasn’t been over 53 (the league average) in each of the Cowboys’ last three losses, either. In their most recent playoff loss (a 48-32 loss to the Green Bay Packers), he threw two interceptions and had his team down by as many as 32 points.
Prescott’s ability to throw the ball when the game was already in doubt doesn’t make his recent Wild Card loss a good performance. So while many regular-season contests show him to be a top-five QB, and certainly fair enough to make him one entering the 2024 season, Prescott’s playoff performances and big-game moments, show he needs to do far more for the Cowboys than he currently is.
Can the Cowboys Reach Super Bowl 59?
It’s easy to agree with PFN’s Top 100 rankings when it comes to the Cowboys. After all, they’ve won 12 games in each of the last three seasons and did win a playoff game.
The issue surrounding Dallas, however, isn’t about their star power or coaching staff. It’s the depth behind them.
Depth has been a major issue for the Cowboys in recent years. Whether it’s the receiving corps, pass rush, or offensive line, the depth along the roster has been tested time and time again in the past few years. And each time, the depth has failed.
Dallas may have a top-heavy roster that can compete with other top teams in the NFC, but the lack of depth means they’ll always be a hair below other organizations like the San Francisco 49ers.
Even the team’s chief rival, the Philadelphia Eagles, has better overall depth in key roles that better prepare them for the later parts of the season. It’s why the Eagles have been to the Super Bowl twice in the last decade while the Cowboys haven’t even gotten out of the Divisional Round.
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If Dallas hopes to end its Super Bowl drought, then bolstering the top talent with quality depth is arguably the most important part of this season.
