Now that OTAs and mandatory minicamps have come and gone, the NFL world enters a nearly two-month stretch of inactivity aside from players working out on their own.
For the Dallas Cowboys, the narrative over the next few weeks until the team assembles for training camp in Oxnard, California will be the contract situations of QB Dak Prescott and WR CeeDee Lamb.
EDGE Micah Parsons can be thrown into that conversation as well but with the Cowboys controlling his rights for at least two more years with the 5th-year option plus a possibility of two years of the franchise tag, they won’t be motivated to get a new contract done.
When the team travels to Oxnard for training camp, it’s already been reported that they will return to joint practices with other NFL teams for the first time since former LG Connor Williams and Rams’ DT Aaron Donald were trying to rip their heads off.
Interestingly enough, the joint practices scheduled are with those same Los Angeles Rams. Aaron Donald is no longer there, but the Rams are still a formidable squad under HC Sean McVay.
Let’s take a look at the three games the Cowboys will play this preseason, examine the opponents, make predictions, and just overall try to gauge what Dallas can learn from those teams to prepare for the regular season.
Dallas Cowboys @ Los Angeles Rams
When: Sunday 8/11/24, 3:25pm CST
Where: SoFi Stadium
The Cowboys and Rams will square off after a week of joint practices. Being the first preseason game, we likely won’t see any projected starters at all unless they are rookies or unproven young veterans.
Players in that category that might start would be LT Tyler Guyton, C Cooper Beebe, WR Jalen Tolbert, LB Marist Liufau, CB Caelen Carson, and DeMarvion Overshown, amongst others.
The Rams will likely start Stetson Bennett at quarterback with a mish-mash of wide receivers that won’t feature Cooper Kupp or Puka Nacua.
Matthew Stafford will be in street clothes and a sideline ball cap until the regular season, but the Cowboys will face a good test defensively during the joint practices.
The Cowboys will start Trey Lance and quarterback to get him as many reps as possible. They need to figure out what role he will have on the team and the preseason will determine that.
Dallas Cowboys @ Las Vegas Raiders
When: Saturday 8/17/24, 9pm CST
Where: Allegiant Stadium
The Cowboys stay in the Bay Area for one more preseason game before heading back to Dallas to prepare for the start of the regular season.
This time it’s the Las Vegas Raiders taking the field with them. The Raiders are in somewhat of a state of rebuild after making interim HC Antonio Pierce the coach full-time.
Pierce brings an element of toughness back to the Raiders that has been lacking for years. He is a former linebacker in the NFL responsible for the defensive calls. He has Super Bowl pedigree and that attitude will bleed into the team.
Vegas will likely give 2nd-year QB Aidan O’Connell plenty of snaps in preparation for the regular season but he will be throwing the ball to backups.
Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers playing wouldn’t benefit the team in the preseason. Risking injury to your top two receivers won’t be an option.
Dallas Cowboys vs Los Angeles Chargers
When: Saturday 8/24/24, 3pm CST
Where: AT&T Stadium
Dallas will wrap up the preseason back at home after leaving Oxnard following their bout with the Raiders the week before.
I would anticipate Trey Lance would get his third consecutive preseason start and he may even play the entire game.
Will Dallas throw in some starters for him to work with to get a better gauge of how he has progressed? HC Mike McCarthy might feel the need to do that, but I would lean more toward him protecting his starters from injury before the regular season starts.
The Chargers will head into the 2024 season with an overhauled offense. Gone is OC Kellen Moore, now the offensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Also gone are RB Austin Ekeler and WR Keenan Allen, long-time staples in the Chargers offense.
I don’t anticipate this would be any sort of dress rehearsal game for the Cowboys. Players on the roster bubble will get the bulk of the snaps to try and make their way onto the team.