Fresh faces look to break out in training camp and preseason

The Dallas Cowboys will report to Oxnard, California July 24th for the start of training camp.

We are inching near the start of the 2024 season in September, but before we reach that point, I figured I would test my luck and see if I can predict which players might break out in July and August.

The opening press conference will take place on July 24th, while the first padded practice happens on July 30th.

This will continue until they start preseason games on August 11th against the Rams.

For the 2024 season, the NFL’s 53-man roster cutdown deadline is Aug. 27 by 4 p.m. ET. Every franchise must reduce its roster from 90 players — the maximum allowed during the summer — to 53 by this deadline.

https://twitter.com/jonmachota/status/1805999101189763381

Teams are free to cut players throughout training camp and the preseason if they choose. Clubs can cut players whenever they would like. Regardless, every squad has to meet the NFL’s roster requirement by Aug. 27.

That said, I wanted to see how close I could be to predicting some standouts that might impress us over the next month and a half.

Brevyn Spann-Ford

I am going to start with a player most probably haven’t even heard about until now.

Spann-Ford signed a three-year contract with Dallas, he is 6-foot-6 from the University of Minnesota.

He finds himself behind Jake Ferguson, Luke Schoonmaker, and Peyton Hendershot.

Spann-Ford possesses one skill that could put him above everyone put Ferguson. His run blocking, If he can have a good camp and impress in preseason, he could set himself up nicely.

https://twitter.com/clarencehilljr/status/1789713080470880640

If he can breakout over the next month and half, he could be sitting pretty once the season gets underway in September.

I just have a good feeling about this guy.

Ryan Flournoy

Every single time I looked at Twitter during the camps earlier this summer, it seemed like Ryan Flournoy’s name was always around.

The Cowboys have CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks. After that, it should be Jalen Tolbert and then the field.

That field is Jalen Brooks and Flournoy. The 6-foot-1, 202-pound Flournoy finished his college career at Southeast Missouri State.

Flournoy became a team captain in his first year with the RedHawks and totaled 61 catches for 984 yards and seven touchdowns, earning first-team All-Ohio Valley Conference honors.

He missed time his senior season with a broken hand but still finished with 57 catches for 839 yards and six touchdowns.

During OTAs and minicamp Flournoy has been described as “Dez Bryant-like” by ESPN’s Todd Archer.

https://twitter.com/toddarcher/status/1798431656631787806

I am expecting Flournoy to breakout over training camp and preseason.

Justin Rogers

I wrote about Justin Rodgers yesterday morning, and he is another type of player I have a good feeling about.

These normally don’t end well, but I think with Mike Zimmer he will have a really good camp and preseason and earn himself him snaps. That could also just be because the depth for the Cowboys at defensive tackle just is not good.

Outside of Osa Odighizuwa, it is wide open.

Rogers appeared in 13 games at Auburn, totaling 17 tackles (nine solo), two tackles for loss and a sack.

At Kentucky, Rogers tallied 61 total tackles (19 solo), five tackles for loss, and three sacks in 33 games.

He doesn’t jump off the screen, but he is good at what he does.

Rogers is a prototypical nose tackle, with Mike Zimmer now calling the plays he should fit the system. Zimmer likes his players to be big and physical up front.

https://twitter.com/VoiceOfTheStar/status/1784361676491428090

These are just three of the players who I think could breakout over the next month and half and surprise us. Earn themselves some snaps.

Rogers very well could be a day one starter while the other team could be used when they are needed, not just on special teams.