Dallas City News

Earlier in the week we posted an article discussing three important training camp battles that could determine the Cowboys depth chart heading into week one. The great part about training camp is that there are so many battles that will be going on, with several players competing for a big role with the team in the 2024 season. Here are three more battles that fans should keep a close eye on.

Battle for RB1: Ezekiel Elliott vs Rico Dowdle

The Dallas Cowboys lost RB Tony Pollard in free agency this offseason when he signed a contract with the Tennessee Titans. Now that the draft has passed and the only noteworthy signing the Cowboys made at the position was bringing back veteran RB Ezekiel Elliott, it is fair to say this season will be a running back-by-committee approach for the team.

With that said, Elliott and Dowdle will still undoubtedly be competing in camp for the starting role on the depth chart entering week one against the Cleveland Browns. While Elliott is a bigger name and a fan-favorite in Dallas, Dowdle had a more productive season in 2023. Elliott played for the New England Patriots last year, and finished with 642 rushing yards, and three touchdowns. While that is easily the lowest amount of yards he has finished a season with in his career, he also averaged a career-low 3.5 yards per carry. While Dowdle only finished with 361 yards rushing, he averaged 4.1 yards per carry and scored four times in a backup role to Pollard in Dallas last season.

Dowdle impressed fans with his tenacious running, always looking to break tackles and fight for extra yards. Frankly, Dowdle plays with a burst that Elliott hasn’t played in several years. However, it is also hard to imagine the Cowboys not starting fan-favorite Elliott in week one, as his return to the team is highly-anticipated across the fanbase and he has great chemistry with QB Dak Prescott. Dowdle will likely have to have a tremendous training camp to overtake Elliott as RB1 on the roster heading into the season opener, but it is something worth keeping an eye on.

Battle to replace Tyron Smith: Chuma Edoga vs Tyler Guyton

After the Dallas Cowboys lost veteran LT Tyron Smith in free agency to the New York Jets, it wasn’t much of a shock when the team selected OT Tyler Guyton out of Oklahoma with the 29th overall pick in the 2024 draft. Guyton provides the same size, power, and athleticism that attracted the Cowboys to Tyler Smith when they selected him in the 2022 draft. It appears the Cowboys found their clear starting tackle for week one against the reigning DPOY Myles Garrett. But not so fast, as that may not be case.

Bobby Belt from 105.3 The Fan claimed that Chuma Edoga will be the starting left tackle for the first practice, as Guyton is still a raw prospect and needs more repetition at the position.

“I think it is almost a certainty that Chuma Edoga is at left tackle for the first practice. I think it’s likely he’s at left tackle for the first game, and I think it’s possible he’s at left tackle for the entire season.”

It is hard to imagine the Cowboys fan base having a calm and rational reaction to Edoga getting the starting nod week one over the rookie, but it may end up being the case. It is worth keeping an eye on in training camp, to see if Guyton can prove himself as the best man to protect Prescott’s blindside in week one.

Battle for DE3: Sam Williams vs Marshawn Kneeland

When it comes to defensive ends, it’s clear who the top two players are for the Cowboys at the position. Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence are two of the best ends in the league and will play a pivotal role for the defense this upcoming season. However, the team has an interesting battle when it comes to the third-best defensive end on the depth chart.

Amid the defensive departures of Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler Jr. in free agency, it would appear that third-year player Sam Williams would be next in line to take over a more prominent role. Williams, a former second-round pick, has shown flashes of being a good pass rusher in the NFL, accumulating 8.5 sacks in his first two seasons. However, the Cowboys just used their second-round pick in the 2024 draft on some potential competition for Williams.

The Cowboys drafted Marshawn Kneeland in the second-round of this year’s draft. Kneeland shined at Western Michigan last season, producing 37 pressures and accumulating six sacks in 288 snaps. He plays with an elite motor and has a lot of potential to make an immediate impact for the team this upcoming season. Keep an eye on which second-round pick has a better training camp in Oxnard.