Once mandatory minicamp wrapped up for the Dallas Cowboys last week, it triggered the longest stretch of the year without any meaningful NFL activities.
The Cowboys won’t get together as a team again until July 23rd in Oxnard, California for the start of training camp.
Training camp will feature joint practices with the Los Angeles Rams. Two preseason games at Los Angeles and the Las Vegas Raiders will conclude training camp in Oxnard before the Cowboys return home to face the Los Angeles Chargers.
The preseason will feature rookies and roster bubble players and even though it’s preseason, some fans will be clamoring for some starters to see the field.
That actually brings up a good question. Who will be the Cowboys’ starters when Week 1 rolls around? Dallas lost four starters on the offensive side of the ball so there were a few spots to fill.
Allow me to predict the way-too-early offensive starting lineup for the Dallas Cowboys when they line up in Week 1 at the Cleveland Browns.
Quarterback
Dak Prescott
This one is obvious. Dak Prescott will be the starting quarterback Week 1 in Cleveland. Even if a long-term extension isn’t reached by the start of the regular season, Dak will be under center.
Holding out isn’t really an option that would help either party, and honestly I really don’t think Dak will do it. Prescott holds all of the leverage in negotiations and the contract will get completed on his terms.
Offensive Line
LT Tyler Guyton, LG Tyler Smith, C Cooper Beebe, RG Zack Martin, RT Terence Steele
No big surprises here. The only circumstances that may throw a wrench in this prediction is if they still don’t think rookies Tyler Guyton and Cooper Beebe will be ready to start.
If that’s the case, it actually rearranges the entire left side of the offensive line. Most likely, Tyler Smith will kick back out to left tackle while TJ Bass fills in at left guard and Brock Hoffman starts at center.
Although the original prediction is the most likely scenario, we have to examine and analyze all possibilities.
Wide Receiver
CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks
I only have the top two wide receivers listed as Week 1 starters but that’s because I believe HC Mike McCarthy will start the season in 12 personnel. That formation features one running back, two wide receivers, and two tight ends.
CeeDee Lamb is coming off of an incredible season and Cooks was solid, yet unspectacular. Cooks obviously kept in shape this offseason and his connection with Dak has gotten stronger from last season.
Lamb, like Prescott, is currently in the middle of negotiations for a contract extension. Those negotiations have stalled and Lamb was a no-show to mandatory minicamp. He will incur fines for each practice missed once training camp in Oxnard begins.
Should the Cowboys line up in 11 personnel (1RB/1TE/3WR), the likely third wide receiver will be Jalen Tolbert, who saw his play increase towards the end of last season.
He needs to keep one eye in the rearview mirror because reports out of camp were that Jalen Brooks was creeping up into that spot.
Running Back
Ezekiel Elliott
I have the prodigal son Ezekiel Elliott taking the first snaps at running back versus Cleveland when the time comes, but I do believe that it will be a true running back by committee.
Rico Dowdle is the next player up, and depending on the matchup from week to week, he will likely get some spot starts throughout the season.
Fans are hoping Deuce Vaughn also gets some snaps after a limited role last season, but I mostly expect to see him in obvious passing situations.
Tight End
Jake Ferguson, Brevyn Spann-Ford
Jake Ferguson broke out of his shell in his sophomore season of 2023, showing play-making ability that maybe even the Cowboys didn’t know he had.
The seam route up the hash has been one of the go-to plays from Prescott to Ferguson when the Cowboys need a big play and we can expect to see more of that perfection in the upcoming season.
You must be surprised to see Brevyn Spann-Ford listed as the starting tight end opposite Ferguson in the lineup, but if you are familiar with his game, you wouldn’t be surprised.
Spann-Ford is an incredible run-blocker and the Cowboys will want to come out and run the football to minimize the impact of Cleveland’s star pass-rusher Myles Garrett.
Second-year player Luke Schoonmaker will still get plenty of snaps, but something tells me the Cowboys won’t be able to keep Spann-Ford off of the field on rushing downs.
Tomorrow will wrap up this short two-part series of the way-too-early starting lineup predictions for the Dallas Cowboys where we will talk about the defense.