Every year, NFL teams bring different strengths and weaknesses to their seasons. Sometimes it’s an elite quarterback elevating the players around him, others it’s a great defense making life easier for a middling offense. The 2024 Dallas Cowboys are no different, and as we get ready for Sunday’s opener we’re going to start a new weekly feature by ranking the team’s roster positions.
While this year’s Cowboys haven’t played a game yet, we know a lot about them as the team’s mostly comprised of returning players. The biggest x-factors are how rookies like OT Tyler Guyton, C Cooper Beebe, and CB Caelen Carson perform in big roles, plus some key free agents like LB Eric Kendricks and DTs Jordan Phillips and Linval Joseph. We also have to wait and see how players like RB Rico Dowdle and WR Jalen Tolbert handle greater responsibility than they’ve had previously. And then there’s the defensive coordinator change; how will Mike Zimmer’s arrival impact the performance of some players from when Dan Quinn was running things?
So based on what we know from the past and reactions to Dallas’ offseason work, how do the roster positions stack against each other ahead of the regular season? These rankings are our best projection at the moment, and we’ll come back each week to see how the last game changed our perceptions.
One note; we’re not going to include special teams in this discussion. They’re hard to qualify compared with limited snaps compared to the offense and defense. In the Cowboys’ case, you could probably put our specialists at the top of the list all year round. Dallas has arguably the NFL’s best kicker, a Pro Bowl punter, and a long snapper who doesn’t make mistakes. It would become pretty repetitive.
Alright, enough preamble. Let’s get into it!
- Guard – With two All-Pros in the starting lineup and solid depth behind them, the Cowboys’ guards are about as good as you could ask for. Few teams can boast having one guard as good as Zack Martin or Tyler Smith, let alone two.
- Quarterback – Dak Prescott was in the MVP conversation last year and Cooper Rush has skins on the wall as a veteran backup. The future is up in the air but these rankings are about the present, and right now Dallas has one of the most consistent regular-season passers in football.
- Defensive End – We’re counting Micah Parsons based on how he’s used, and that lifts the position tremendously. DeMarcus Lawrence is still an elite run defender as well. We’d rank this higher if the depth was more trustworthy, but rookie Marshawn Kneeland still needs to prove things in real games. Until the backups make us think otherwise, Dallas will probably miss Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler, plus the injured Sam Williams.
- Safety – This is the reverse of the DE position as the starters aren’t as good but the backups are exceptional. Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson could benefit from Zimmer’s arrival as he’s made safeties look good at other stops, but Quinn’s been known for that as well. Juanyeh Thomas and Markquese Bell are young and exciting prospects who already have experience to lean on, making them some of the top depth players on the entire roster.
- Wide Receiver – CeeDee Lamb’s back and that carries a lot of the weight for the receivers. Brandin Cooks got better and better as last season went and we’re excited about third-year growth from Jalen Tolbert. KaVontae Turpin and Jalen Brooks both have more experience in the system as well. At the very least, this group shouldn’t take any backward steps from last season and has good potential to improve.
- Tight End – Some might argue that Jake Ferguson already broke out in 2023, especially as a Pro Bowl alternate, but there’s still more room for him to grow. Ferguson could easily come out of 2024 as one of the elite TEs in the game, and give Prescott the best target he’s ever had at the position. Jason Witten wasn’t exactly in his prime anymore by 2016.
- Cornerback – If DaRon Bland was healthy then we’d have this much higher, but that absence was a huge blow to the position overall. Rookie Caelen Carson was exciting as a young depth piece but causes heartburn as one of the top three corners, especially with veteran Jourdan Lewis being far better in his slot role. Israel Mukuamu could see more snaps as they protect the rookie, and he’s also fairly unproven even in his fourth season.
- Linebacker – The optimism is soaring for this group but we need to see it on the field first. Eric Kendricks didn’t play in the preseason as a longtime veteran and we only got glimpses of other key players like DeMarvion Overshown and Damone Clark. With Marist Liufau also in the mix, Dallas at least has several options for studs to emerge. We just don’t know yet.
- Defensive Tackle – Osa Odighizuwa is the only sure thing in this group. How Mazi Smith responds to more work and a new defensive staff will be a huge swing factor for the position’s value. Veterans Jordan Phillips and Linval Joseph should improve the depth but they were on the NFL’s discard pile, so we could also find out why.
- Offensive Tackle – Tyler Guyton was very impressive this summer but the real tests begin this Sunday. If the rookie shows out and veteran Terence Steele looks like he’s back to 2022 form, this position could shoot up the ladder fast. Depth is still going to be a concern, even after Chuma Edoga comes back.
- Center – Like with Guyton. Cooper Beebe has to prove he’s going to be as good as projected. The good news is that Tyler Biadasz didn’t set the bar terribly high; he was competent but far from dominant. Beebe may need time to blossom in pass protection but could immediately upgrade the run blocking, which would be huge for Dallas’ offensive balance.
- Running Back – Many are high on Rico Dowdle’s potential but we still need to see it, as well as how the Cowboys decide to actually use their running backs. We assume they’ll take an objective approach when it comes to Ezekiel Elliott’s usage but it remains a mystery, as does the ways they’ll use Deuce Vaughn and Hunter Luepke. Counting on Dalvin Cook as a safety net offers little comfort.
There’s certainly subjectivity in these rankings. Some may place more weight on the talent of starters over depth. How much you value past performance over future projections is a factor. And we all have our own beliefs, rooting interests, and doubts about individual players.
Please sound off in the comments about where you agree/disagree.
