Dallas City News

Which Dallas Cowboys standouts have captured Mike McCarthy’s attention in training camp? – David Moore, DMN

Any surprises here?

Let’s start with defense. The Cowboys’ head coach said veteran corner Jourdan Lewis “is having a hell of a camp’’ and quickly followed by mentioning corner DaRon Bland. McCarthy loves the way the entire safety group is playing.

But the first player he mentioned on that side of the ball is linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, who is coming off a torn ACL that ended his rookie season before it began.

“Overshown jumps off the tape at you,’’ McCarthy said. “No question there.’’

On the offensive side of the ball, McCarthy mentioned receivers Jalen Tolbert and Jalen Brooks. He recognized running back Rico Dowdle and tight end Princeton Fant. Later in the conversation, he said he neglected to cite one other player.

Fullback Hunter Luepke, who cross-trained with the tight ends during the offseason so he would be available for more packages.

Cowboys cut plethora of recent draft picks in 53-man roster prediction- Sayre Bedinger, The Landry Hat

A look forward to cuts that will be coming.

Wide Receivers: 6 (15/53)

CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks, Jalen Tolbert, KaVontae Turpin, Tyron Billy-Johnson, Jalen Brooks

Training camp has provided the opportunity for back-end roster players like Tyron Billy-Johnson and Jalen Brooks to stand out, but we haven’t seen all that much of sixth-round rookie Ryan Flournoy. It wouldn’t be unheard of, by any means, to see the Cowboys cut a 6th-round pick like that but we know that this team typically wants to keep all its drafted players around at whatever cost.

We’ll see if the preseason changes anything at this position but all six of these guys could contribute in significant ways.

Tight End: 3 (18/53

Jake Ferguson, Luke Schoonmaker, John Stevens Jr.

I think we’ll see the Cowboys try to sneak a couple of tight ends on the practice squad right away here. They obviously like undrafted free agent rookie Brevyn Spann-Ford a lot, and it would be tough to subject him to waivers after the guarantees he received after signing, but a little seasoning on the practice squad won’t hurt.

The big question here is whether or not the Cowboys would actually part ways with someone like Peyton Hendershot. Hendershot has contributed both offensively and on special teams the last two seasons but Stevens has more time under team control with his contract and was well-liked last year before a season-ending knee injury.

Dak Prescott sends another warning shot to the Cowboys: Money is out there – Rucker Haringey, FanSided

Is it time to sound the panic alarm?

His recent declaration that “the money is out there” should be a warning sign for team owner Jerry Jones and his front office staff. Deals signed this offseason by Trevor Lawrence, Tua Tagovailoa, Jordan Love and Jared Goff are only driving the prices up for franchise signal-callers. Are the Cowboys poised to pay for their stall tactics?

Dak Prescott has been acting in good faith

The Cowboys might be dreaming of signing Prescott to a below-market deal, but it’s hard to envision a scenario where he doesn’t get paid. Inking a new contract that will pay him in excess of $50 million per season seems more and more reasonable. The impending free agency of wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is only complicating negotiations. It may be difficult for Dallas to squeeze both big-money signings into their bloated salary cap sheet.

By the same token, it’s still hard to see the Cowboys letting Prescott go for free. He’s been the face of the franchise ever since taking over the reins of the offense. Higher-ups in Dallas will loathe the potential public relations nightmare of letting Prescott walk via free agency. Which means keeping Prescott on a long-term deal will be expensive, but there’s no telling what the price might be to find a new quarterback.

3 Players Who Have Gone Missing at Cowboys Training Camp – Randy Gurzi, SportDFW

Thumbs down for Deuce Vaughn, Eric Scott, and Viliami Fehoko – according to Gurzi.

1. Deuce Vaughn, Running Back

When the Cowboys decided not to add a running back in the NFL Draft, it opened the door for the fringe players to climb the depth chart. Ezekiel Elliott, Rico Dowdle, and Royce Freeman are the top three options but there’s no reason for someone such as Deuce Vaughn to make his way onto the 53-man roster.

The sixth-round pick from Kansas State had an underwhelming rookie season with just 40 yards on 23 rushing attempts. He was better as a pass-catcher, hauling in 40 yards on seven catches. The Cowboys liked him enough as a receiver that he was lining up in the slot during OTAs but since camp started, he’s become a forgotten man.

Elliott has gotten the bulk of the attention and Dowdle continues to show why the front office has faith in him. They’ve also been pleasantly surprised by the performance of Freeman, who has been a great fit in the offense since signing this offseason.

Vaughn has been dealing with a hamstring issue but even before then, it appeared he was falling behind in the running back race.

Why Brock Hoffman holds the advantage as Cowboys OC over Cooper Beebe – Reid Hanson, Cowboy Wire

The rookie might have to take a back seat to the vet in 2024.

Standing in Beebe’s way at OC was Brock Hoffman, the top reserve center from 2023. The third-year veteran started two games for the Cowboys last season, offering noble effort but producing somewhat pedestrian results. Those outside the organization viewed Hoffman little more than a reserve lineman going forward. The former undrafted free agent didn’t have the natural gifts of someone like Beebe, therefore seemed unlikely to stand in the rookie’s way in his bid for a starting job.

Those inside the organization saw thing differently. While Beebe is looking relatively good and putting in all the necessary work as he converts to OC, the starting job is clearly Hoffman’s to lose.

Beebe may still have the higher ceiling as an OC prospect but it’s Hoffman who has the higher floor. His experience snapping the ball, reading the blocking assignments and executing his blocks put him in a much stronger position than the rookie. And since the difference between a positive play and a negative play often comes down to a single block, the more polished player makes sense.

Pass protection is widely seen as a single point failure system on the football field. All it takes is one single breakdown, one poorly executed play from someone, and the entire thing can go up in smoke. Even if everyone else on the line is executing their assignments perfectly, only missed assignment can ruin it all.

There is nothing certain about the Cowboys running back room – Mario Herrera Jr, Inside The Star

Even after two weeks, the question marks remain.

Royce Freeman Brings Fresh Legs for a Vet

The newest veteran to be added to the team is Royce Freeman. He has played for several teams during his six-year career, most recently as a member of the Los Angeles Rams.

Reports out of training camp say that Freeman has played well, earning the attention of the coaching staff. Many wrote off his signing as just a camp body or the Cowboys’ desperation to add bodies to the room. However, Freeman is showing that he might bring some pop to the running game.

He might have six seasons under his belt, but he has never had more than 132 carries in a season. Freeman’s 77 carries last year with Los Angeles were the most since the 2019 season.

In a way, he has fresh legs. If any running back is going to challenge Elliott for his role, it will be Freeman.

Others to Consider

I didn’t give him his own section because he’s not a true running back, but Hunter Luepke will have a role with this team. He might not be active for every game, but that is dependent on the opponent and how many tight ends the Cowboys want suited up each week.

There is also second-year RB Deuce Vaughn, a fan favorite. Vaughn was active for just seven games last year, rushing 23 times for 40 yards. His size, coupled with a bad running scheme, didn’t equate to good results for him.

4 reasons the 2024 season will be a success for the Cowboys – Tyler Reed, Sports Illustrated

Let’s get positive.

2. Is that you, Tolbert?

A Batman needs his Robin. CeeDee Lamb needs someone to step up in the Cowboys receiver room, and Jalen Tolbert could be that guy.

If Tolbert makes the third-year leap like fans hope he can, then the sky is the limit for what this offense can achieve. Tolbert’s future success could turn the Cowboys from a potential playoff team into an NFC Championship contender.

1. Defense wins championships

The Cowboys had one of the best defenses in the NFL in 2023. Having a healthy Trevon Diggs join forces with DaRon Bland and top that with a generational talent in Micah Parsons.

You have a defense that is to be feared. The Cowboys will go as far as the defense can take them, and when this team is at full health, they can go pretty far. A great 2024 year for the defense is the nucleus of a Cowboys Super Bowl run.

Or is it the mitochondria? Science was never my strong suit. Just win, baby!