The Dallas Cowboys and coaches are enjoying some time off in between OTAs (Organized Team Activities) and the start of training camp in Oxnard, California on July 23rd.
There are many questions that need answers following the disappointing end to the 2023 season at the hands of the 7th-seeded Green Bay Packers in Arlington.
Dallas was embarrassed on their home field in front of fans who no matter how confident, always had that twinge of doubt underneath. That twinge proved to be right, and the team let us down once again.
The Packers jumped out to a 27-0 lead before Prescott and the Cowboys finally got on the board with a touchdown catch by TE Jake Ferguson with no time left in the first half of play.
They would eventually lose 48-32, at one point trailing by as many as 32 points in the 4th quarter.
Dallas allowed nearly a baker’s dozen players to leave in free agency, most of them following former DC Dan Quinn to Washington to help him in his new role as head coach of the Commanders.
This mass exodus of players includes starters like RB Tony Pollard and LT Tyron Smith. It undoubtedly has created some opportunities for younger players, and has also bred competition between these young players vying for playing time.
With training camp less than a month away, I want to highlight the biggest camp battles between these players trying to fill vacancies left by departed players, starting with the offensive side of the ball.
Center
The battle to replace the departed Tyler Biadasz is a two-man race.
Brock Hoffman is the incumbent and pencilled-in starter at the moment. Hoffman was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cleveland Browns following the 2022 NFL Draft.
He spent a couple of months on their practice squad before being released and promptly signed by the Cowboys on November 16th of the same year.
Hoffman got a chance to start near the end of the season in a relatively meaningless game versus the Washington Commanders after Biadasz was ruled out with a sore ankle. He didn’t jump off of the screen but he played well.
His competition comes in the form of rookie Cooper Beebe. Beebe was drafted with the 73rd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft from Kansas State University.
He played mostly guard in college but the Cowboys have been working him at center in hopes that he can play just as well or even better than his predecessor.
Beebe says he likes to “dirt people”, meaning he enjoys running defensive linemen and linebackers into the ground on every snap possible. The winner of the battle at center will be a vital piece to the offense.
Tight End
The starter at tight end is a no-brainer. Jake Ferguson broke out in his second season, catching 71 passes on a whopping 102 targets for 761 yards and five touchdowns.
He scored another three touchdowns in the blowout playoff loss to the Packers, speeding past linebackers and leaping over safeties.
This battle at tight end is for the right to line up opposite Ferguson in the formation when Dallas deploys their two-tight end package, or 12 personnel as it’s more commonly known.
The top three candidates for this spot are second-year player Luke Schoonmaker, redshirt undrafted free agent John Stephens Jr., and 2024 undrafted free agent Brevyn Spann-Ford.
Schoonmaker is the favorite solely because of his draft stock as a 2nd round pick. The Cowboys would look bad if he didn’t start training camp as the favorite. With their recent struggles with 2nd round picks, it would be a punch to the gut if he doesn’t outright win the job.
If nepotism doesn’t get in the way, Stephens Jr. has a solid case to take that spot. He was lost to a torn ACL last offseason but he has been working hard to fill out his 6’5″ 221-pound frame.
Stephens, a wide receiver in college, is just transitioning to a life at tight end, but his traits are intriguing and will be something to watch this July and August.
Spann-Ford was signed as an undrafted free agent from the University of Minnesota, and is essentially the polar opposite of Stephens Jr. He is nearly elite as a run-blocker, but lacks as a receiver.
Whoever wins this job will be a tell-tale sign to how Mike McCarthy will run the offense in 2024.
Running Back
Tony Pollard is gone to his home state of Tennessee to play for the Titans. Surprise! Ezekiel Elliott is back, albeit wearing a #15 jersey instead of his customary #21.
It’s cute to think of Deuce Vaughn and Hunter Luepke breaking out and being stars in this offense but the truth is the running back position is a two-man race.
Besides Elliott, Rico Dowdle has his name in the hat. Truthfully, the “starting” running back should be regarded as such, with quotation marks around it. Dallas’ offense will be a two-headed monster and both players will take turns starting depending on the matchup to start the game.
The real battle is for trust. Who will be trusted most with the ball when crunch time arrives? Dowdle shows explosiveness and elusiveness but seems to lack experience and power.
Elliott lost his initial burst several years ago but possesses power and veteran savvy that Dowdle lacks. They will both contribute evenly to the offense, but having the starter’s distinction is important to the players.