With so many off-season departures, the Dallas Cowboys veterans will play a huge role in the team’s 2024 success.
Dallas lost tenured players like Tyron Smith in free agency and 6-year veteran Leighton Vander Esch to a medical retirement.
That doesn’t include the other ten former Cowboys that were not retained in the off-season.
The incoming rookie class coming in should help with those losses.
However, the Cowboys took a raw talent, high-potential approach to the draft this April.
This means if Dallas still wants to compete in 2024, they will need seasoned guys to step up.
The Cowboys veterans could be the key to success this season, as it would allow the organization to slowly develop their young talent while still winning games.
There are a few obvious guys, like Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, who fit the criteria.
But it’s the lesser-talked-about Cowboys veterans that could make or break this season in Dallas.
With that in mind, here’s a look at the three veterans Dallas is counting on to stand out in 2024.
Wide Receiver, Brandin Cooks
Heading into 2023, Brandin Cooks was viewed as a nice supplement to the Lamb and Michael Gallup duo.
This time around, he is the clear-cut WR2 with limited depth behind him.
With Dallas releasing Gallup this off-season, his importance in the offense has risen significantly.
The only prominent guys behind Cooks are Jalen Brooks, Jalen Tolbert, KaVontae Turpin, and rookie Ryan Flournoy.
That group combines for just 43 career receptions.
Rumors have swirled about the team signing free agent Zay Jones after he visited the facility this week, but he left without a deal and nothing seems imminent.
We know how the Cowboys have been when it comes to signing free agents recently, so let’s assume they don’t get a deal done with Jones.
This leaves Prescott with Lamb, Cooks, and Jake Ferguson as his only experienced targets.
In that group, defenses are going to focus on Lamb, which could set Cooks up for a big year.
2023 was an up-and-down year for Cooks, as he only put up 657 yards but had 8 touchdowns to contrast that.
He got going late in the season especially, but Dallas needs an instant impact this time.
If in the future, we look back on the 2024 season and Cooks had around 1,000 yards, the Cowboys should be just fine offensively.
Linebacker, Eric Kendricks
At this point, the Cowboys have signed just three external free agents in 2024.
Veteran Linebacker Eric Kendricks is likely the most important.
Despite initially agreeing to terms with the 49ers, Kendricks flipped to Dallas, and his role was a big reason why.
Kendricks will be a main player on the Cowboys’ defense, likely as the starting MLB.
His ability, experience, and leadership were big reasons for the signing, but his past was perhaps the biggest.
Kendricks is the former leader of Mike Zimmer’s Vikings defense, and Dallas is counting on him to fill that same role in 2024.
The familiarity with Zimmer that he brings is crucial to the Cowboys’ defensive success this season.
Former Defensive Coordinator Dan Quinn was in Dallas since 2020, which means a lot of the roster is only familiar with his system.
Kendricks and the defensive draftees Zimmer wanted might be the only guys prepared for his system.
If he can’t step up as a big part of the defense, things could get ugly on that side of the ball.
Running Back, Ezekiel Elliott
Speaking of Cowboys free agent signings, let’s talk about the return of Ezekiel Elliott.
To the surprise of many, Dallas did not select a running back in the 2024 Draft.
And after that happened, it did not take long for them to pounce on Elliott in the free agent market.
The Cowboys brought back “Zeke” on a 1-year deal with the expectation that he would be RB1 for the coming season.
Regardless of how you might feel about that, it does make Elliott incredibly important.
Dallas needs a strong running game, and there is hope inside the front office that he can bring that, even in his older age.
I believe Rico Dowdle will end up getting more work than we think, but that doesn’t take away from the role Elliott will play.
If a Dallas running back is blocking, receiving, or taking a goal-line carry in 2024, it will be Elliott.
This means if he struggles, the offense will as well.
The Cowboys are counting on him to turn back the clock this season.
With the help of these veteran players, Dallas could absolutely make the postseason, but if they fail to produce it could be a long year.