The Dallas Cowboys are headed into one of the most important seasons in recent team history, and to exceed expectations, they need a breakout performance from players you are not expecting.
When you listen to the rhetoric from the team since their postseason loss to the Packers, it is, at least verbally, a team committed to getting over the hump.
If Dallas means what it says, there is no room for error in 2024 or we will see a full-scale organizational shakeup.
Players, coaches, and everybody in the front office need to lock in this time around.
However, the 2023 group can not get it done on their own; there needs to be improvement to the roster.
This does not just mean in the draft or free agency either, the Cowboys need guys that are already on the roster to step up their game next season.
There are too many holes on the roster and not enough money to throw around to fix everything this offseason; there has to be a serious push to get the most out of guys who have yet to show up.
Here are three guys the Cowboys are going to rely on to breakout in 2024.
Nose Tackle, Mazi Smith
To say 2023 first-round pick, Mazi Smith, had a disappointing rookie season would be a major understatement.
Drafted 27th overall last year, Smith had fewer total tackles and the same amount of sacks as 4th-year Defensive Tackle Neville Gallimore, who he was supposed to replace.
The Cowboys defensive line got virtually nothing out of Smith.
Another rough night for Mazi Smith. He just has a lot of troubles vs double teams right now, getting displaced almost every time. Not good. #Cowboys
— John Owning (@JohnOwning) December 31, 2023
Additionally, reports have come out that they him lose over 30 lbs since the draft, which is strange when you consider they drafted him to be a nose tackle.
Overall, Smith underperformed and the organization bungled his development. That is just about as bad a mix as you can possibly get for a rookie season.
Heading into 2024, it is close to make-or-break time for the former Michigan Wolverine.
Dallas is already looking at potentially adding another big man to the defensive line, and new Defensive Coordinator Mike Zimmer is not going to give a guy he did not draft snaps on name alone.
Smith is going to have to earn playing time, and even more than that, he is going to have to have a breakout performance in 2024.
If Smith plays to the level that Dallas drafted him to, it would essentially be like getting two first-round picks in this year's draft.
Between whoever the team drafts in 2024 and Smith making his first real impact, it could become a huge payoff for the Cowboys.
Wide Receiver, Jalen Tolbert
There is no better example of a guy needing a breakout season than former 3rd-round pick, Jalen Tobert.
The 2024 season is the final chance for him in Dallas, and it may be his best shot yet.
If the Cowboys follow the course at receiver we expect them to, they will cut veteran Michael Gallup, draft a rookie receiver in the first three rounds, and add somebody cheap as depth.
This would give Dallas a depth chart of CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks, and either that rookie or Tolbert as WR3.
For a guy who has just 24 catches in two seasons, that is a fantastic opportunity. It is also likely his last if he does not take advantage of it
Tolbert came into Dallas with high expectations and it fell apart pretty quickly.
He caught just two passes in his rookie season, meaning his other 22 career receptions came this year, as did his only two touchdowns.
While his 2023 numbers are nothing to fawn over, they are an improvement and perhaps a sign he could be up for a breakout year in 2024.
The 50-50 ball goes to Jalen Tolbert! 😱
📺: #DALvsMIA on FOX
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/UIg1XAk0MB pic.twitter.com/gvdCxnFACt— NFL (@NFL) December 24, 2023
Between the existing relationship with Dak Prescott, familiarity with the offense, and time to develop over his first two seasons, Tolbert could have the initial leg-up on a rookie for opportunities.
There is still time for Tolbert to turn things around, and 2024 is the moment to do it.
LB, DeMarvion Overshown
It is impossible to overstate how excited the Cowboys front office was when they drafted former Texas Longhorn, DeMarvion Overshown in the third round of last year's draft.
Unfortunately, that excitement was quickly shut down when he tore his ACL in the preseason.
This injury created a massive hole at linebacker; Overshown's absence was especially missed once starting Linebacker, Leighton Vander Esch, suffered his season-ending neck injury.
One of the main focuses of this offseason is improving the linebacker room, and getting a healthy Overshown back may be the biggest improvement of them all.
He has the potential to be the Cowboys' best man at the position in 2024, but he must capitalize on that potential first.
I think the #Cowboys might have found something in DeMarvion Overshown. pic.twitter.com/ObuUtjd244
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) August 12, 2023
The expectations are sky-high, and it is up to Overshown to prove the hype right.
We saw how Terence Steele looked this season after his ACL injury; it showed players are not always immediately ready after an injury like that.
This means despite the excitement to get Overshown back, Dallas is not going to put away adding at the position because of him. You can expect them to target linebackers in the draft and free agency.
For Overshown, this means two things.
Firstly, he is going to be surrounded by a lot of new faces in the linebacker room, and his experience in Dallas, even if he did not play, could lend him an upper hand early.
Secondly, he is going to have to earn his time and prove that the injury is in the past.
Overshown has a great chance to have a breakout performance for the Dallas defense in 2024, it is just a matter of what he does with the opportunity.
