Dallas City News

The Dallas Cowboys lost their preseason opener vs the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday 13-12. There were a few bright spots in the game for the team. Kicker Brandon Aubrey remains elite, going 4/5 kicking field goals in the game, with his only miss being a 65-yard attempt. Much like last season, the team struggled in the red zone and relied on Aubrey to produce the team’s points. While on the subject of Aubrey, we at BTB wish him a congratulations on his wife giving birth to their child! The All-Pro kicker left SoFi Stadium in a hurry following the game, with Mike McCarthy explaining why.

“He’s a in a hurry for all the right reasons that’s for sure.”

Another player who looked good was rookie left tackle Tyler Guyton, who seemed to not only hold his own in pass coverage, but also move defenders in the running game. With that said, outside of Guyton the offensive line struggled. QB Trey Lance was in constant duress throughout his time in the game, with many incompletions stemming from pressure in the backfield.

If everyone is healthy, the Cowboys have one of the best teams in the league. They had nine All-Pro selections last season, and are getting former All-Pro CB Trevon Diggs back from injury. With that said, the team remains top-heavy, and injuries are inevitable in a physical sport like football.

Offensive line depth was a concern heading into the offseason. It wasn’t necessarily a strong suit for the team in the 2023 season, and it became more concerning with the departure of tackle Tyron Smith in free agency. When healthy, the Cowboys have a relatively good offensive line. LT Tyler Guyton, LG Tyler Smith, C Brock Hoffman, RG Zack Martin, and RT Terence Steele is the likely projected lineup week one. However, if the team suffers any injuries, the team could be facing real problems on the line. In fact, tackle Chuma Edoga was seen leaving the game on Sunday in a walking boot after suffering a toe injury.

If Edoga’s injury causes him to miss time, it will make an already thin offensive line seem even thinner.

Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb has proven himself as one of the best wideouts in the league over the last several seasons. However, it’s no secret the wide receiving room looks thin without him. The Cowboys leading receiver against the Rams on Sunday was Jalen Brooks with 49 receiving yards. He only played one series for the team and still led the team in yards.

The defensive line depth appears very thin for the team as well, especially after losing defensive end Sam Williams for the season due to a torn ACL and MCL he sustained in training camp. Under the Dan Quinn regime as defensive coordinator, the Cowboys made a living getting pressure to the quarterback. However, without Micah Parsons or DeMarcus Lawrence playing on Sunday, the team rarely got pressure on Rams QB Stetson Bennett. Second-round pick Marshawn Kneeland finished the game with just two tackles and no pressures on Bennett.

The front office was quiet during free agency, not bringing in high-level talent to bolster the depth of their roster. The logic is somewhat understandable, as the team is expecting to pay CeeDee Lamb, Dak Prescott, and Micah Parsons big money to keep them long-term. However, it’s the preseason and none have been signed. Not only have none of them been signed, Lamb is holding out in attempt to speed up the process of being paid. If Lamb misses any regular season time due to a holdout or injury, the Cowboys would have one of the least-impressive wide receiver rooms across the league.

If the Cowboys can remain healthy, the team can compete with any roster in the league. However, their inactivity in free agency has kept their depth thin at several key positions, with much improvement needed from the backups.