Football is finally back!!! All of the speculation and guesstimating is finally over now that the Dallas Cowboys training camp is almost officially underway. They are scheduled to hold their first official practice tomorrow, Saturday, July 27, which means we will finally have some football activities to talk about.
Before the Dallas Cowboys training camp gets into full swing though, I thought I would go ahead and share some of the top storylines I will be personally keeping a close eye on throughout the next several weeks. As you can imagine, this year is no different than in years past. There are a lot of interesting things that should keep us entertained until the 2019 regular-season gets underway.
In order to keep everything as organized as possible, I decided to break down all of the storylines I'll personally be paying attention to into the three phases of the game… offense, defense, and special teams.
Offense
With the exception of Jason Witten and Randall Cobb, the Dallas Cowboys starting offense should look much the same as it did in 2018. But, that doesn't mean there aren't some intriguing storylines to follow throughout training camp.
Here's the storylines I'm interested in following:
- First and foremost, I'm really intrigued by what Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore is going to do with the Dallas Cowboys offense. It's expected to be pretty much the same scheme and plays, just presented in a different way. I'm curious to find out if more pre-snap motion and misdirection will equate to better execution?
- Another storyline I'm really looking forward to find out more about is how well Randall Cobb fits in with the Cowboys offense as Cole Beasley's replacement. Beasley after all was Quarterback Dak Prescott's security blanket and go to guy when he needed a third-down conversion. Can Cobb do the same?
- Randall Cobb of course isn't the only WR to keep an eye on. I'm really interested in seeing Michael Gallup raise a level of his game. He looked really good as a rookie, but I'm expecting much more from him in his second-year. There's also some youngsters I'm anxious to get a look at. Jon'Vea Johnson and Jalen Guyton are two WRs I'm interested in seeing in action. The entire WR position battle in itself will be something to watch.
- Speaking of QB Dak Prescott, I'm hoping he can take the next step in his development after working with Jon Kitna, the new Cowboys quarterback coach. Kitna was brought in to help Prescott's fundamentals and help him get through his progressions quicker. Will the work they've put in help #4 become a more accurate passer?
- The entire Cowboys offensive line is another intriguing storyline to follow. Can Tyron Smith find a way to stay healthy? Will an entire season in the strength and conditioning program help Connor Williams take the next step in his development? Has Travis Frederick fully recovered from the autoimmune disease? Will Zack Martin continue his dominant play? Is La'el Collins' starting job secured or can he be challenged?
- Lastly, I'm interested in seeing what Jason Witten looks like after a year away from the game. Will he be better or worse than he was in 2017? Also, if he ends up flopping, will Blake Jarwin or Dalton Schultz be ready to handle the majority of the snaps at tight end?
I think that just about covers all of the storylines worth following throughout the Dallas Cowboys training camp on the offensive side of the ball. Let's move on to the defense.
Defense
Watching nearly every aspect of the defense is probably worth following pretty closely throughout the Dallas Cowboys training camp this year. The starters aren't quite as set on the defensive side of the ball as they are on offense, which could make it just little bit more interesting.
Here's what I'll be following closely:
- The first thing I'm interesting in learning is whether or not Passing Game Coordinator and Defensive Backs Coach Kris Richard can have a bigger impact on the defense than he did his first year with the Cowboys in 2018. The defense last season really played with a different intensity than they have in years past and I think Richard had a lot to do with that. I'm hoping they can build on that this year.
- Secondly, I'm really intrigued by the idea of playing Sean Lee as the strong side linebacker. The trio of Lee, Jaylon Smith, and Leighton Vander Esch could end up being the best LB group in the entire NFL. If No. 50 can stay healthy for an entire season, this could be a really formidable group for opposing offenses to have to deal with.
- There should be quite a competition to watch at the Cowboys defensive end position. If/when Randy Gregory is reinstated the battle between him and Robert Quinn to start opposite DeMarcus Lawrence could be one for the ages. There should be quite a battle behind them as well. For once, Dallas has some pretty good depth at the position. Earning a roster spot at DE won't be easy.
- The Cowboys trench warfare is really going to be something to watch. I loved the selection of DT Trysten Hill and I wouldn't be surprised if he's pushing for a starting job at some point in training camp. I'd also keep an eye on Daniel Wise. I had a mid-round grade on him and I believe he could be somebody who kind of comes out of nowhere to earn a roster spot.
- There's not as much intrigue surrounding the cornerback position since the starters seem to be pretty set, but rookie CB Michael Jackson could shake things up. He fits the size/speed criteria Richard prefers in his defensive backs and with Byron Jones likely out for the majority of training camp while he recovers from offseason surgery, Jackson should have a chance to shine.
- I'm also keeping an eye on CB Jourdan Lewis. I think the Cowboys learned last season he should be receiving more playing time. How he's utilized in training camp could help determine how much he plays in 2019.
- Lastly, I'm interested in seeing who emerges amongst the Cowboys safeties to earn the starting job opposite Xavier Woods. If I had to guess right now that player would be George Iloka, but I really like what I've heard/read about the rookie safety out of Texas A&M, Donovan Wilson. Could Dallas end up having two safeties drafted in the sixth-round start for them? Will they look outside the organization for safety help?
There should be a lot of eyes on the defensive side of the ball throughout the Dallas Cowboys training camp this year. With the talent they've accumulated, this unit could be something truly special.
Special Teams
Special teams storylines aren't typically followed as closely as they are on the offensive or defensive side of the ball for teams around the NFL. That doesn't mean they're not just as important though. It's just that they are normally made up of depth players or specialist instead of starters who generally play a lot of snaps.
Regardless, here's what I'm going to be following:
- The first thing I'm really interested in finding out is whether or not the Dallas Cowboys will bring in some serious competition for Punter Chris Jones or Kicker Brett Maher. Jones had a down year last season and Maher was pretty good from long distances, but struggled with mid-distance kicks. Dallas does have P/K Kasey Redfern currently on the roster, but he may be nothing more than a camp leg.
- The only other special teams storyline I'll be keeping a close eye on is who emerges as the primary kick and punt returner. Rookie RB/WR Tony Pollard was one of the best in the nation during his time at Memphis returning kicks and will hopefully bring that talent with him to Dallas. Tavon Austin is likely the favorite to return punts, but I'm not completely positive he's a roster lock. It will be interesting to see who receives snaps there in training camp.
