There’s no question that the Dallas Cowboys have a star-studded team. A surefire Super Bowl contender (7th best odds currently as this post reads at +1700).
With the addition and departure of players, here are five players you should keep an eye on to have a good season donning the historic star on their helmets.
DE Sam Williams
Defensive End Sam Williams recorded 4 sacks, 13 solo tackles, and 1 forced fumble in his rookie campaign.
The second-round pick by way of Ole Miss University should see an increase of snaps with Dan Quinn staying put as defensive coordinator.
In a crowded room full of amazing defensive ends, Williams should be able to get his fair share of action plays on his plate after a good first season.
TE Jake Ferguson
After Dalton Schultz’s departure (signed with the Houston Texans), Jake Ferguson will likely be the lead tight end, barring any trades or drafting Michael Mayer out of Notre Dame University.
Ferguson had a good rookie campaign boasting 19 receptions for 174 yards and 2 touchdowns.
We saw Ferguson’s incredible athleticism in week 12 when he hurdled over a New York Giants defender en route to a 30-yard gain.
Ferguson is even garnering the attention of current Tight End Travis Kelce, stating he’s excited to see what he does down in Dallas.
CB DaRon Bland
Rookie Cornerback DaRon Bland — a 5th-round pick out of Fresno State — instantly made a name for himself on the team and within the league after he recorded 5 interceptions in 2022.
After acquiring veteran Corner Stephon Gilmore, a true shutdown corner, this allows flexibility for Quinn and his defense.
We can expect to see the younger and faster Bland play more in the slot. His rare combination of speed, IQ, and athleticism will be on display in the coming season.
WR Jalen Tolbert
With former Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore out the door, the Cowboys now turn to Head Coach Mike McCarthy to call the offensive plays.
McCarthy called the plays for most of his tenure as head coach with the Green Bay Packers. He’s known to run a West Coast Offense. Wide receivers who can create yards after a catch (YAC) tend to do really well in a west coast scheme.
Luckily for Dallas, they drafted Receiver Jalen Tolbert in the 3rd round of last year’s draft.
In his career at South Alabama, Tolbert amassed a whopping 1,059 yards after the catch. Despite only having 2 catches for 12 yards in his rookie season, Tolbert showed promise in training camp.
Tolbert also practiced at private workouts before the start of last year with fellow teammates Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb.
WR Michael Gallup
Wide Receiver Michael Gallup will hopefully be back to his form before the ACL injury he sustained in Week 17 of the 2022 season.
With the arrival of Brandin Cooks, this should allow Gallup to feast on opposing defenses.
Gallup should see more targets with the west coast offense as this scheme frees up the deep ball, which is a specialty of Gallup’s. A true deep ball receiver, Gallup also runs the slots well.
Expect to see more Gallup touchdowns as opposing defenses have to worry about multiple targets.
The Cowboys will look to make a splash in the draft, drafting the best available player to fit the team’s needs, or possibly just drafting the best player on the board.
Regardless of any new moves made, expect these five players to replicate or exceed their previous year’s success.
