Dallas City News

After about a week of training camp, the Dallas Cowboys have already seen some risers and fallers among their roster hopefuls. Whose stock is up from the early practice sessions, and who has hurt their case for a roster spot, or at least a higher place on the depth chart?

There’s still a month of additional practices and preseason games for needles to be moved. A good week now can be undone; we’ve seen many times when hype from camp doesn’t translate to performance in the preseason. But early momentum is certainly valuable as players can find themselves in better opportunities to impress, getting more run with the first and second strings.

Risers

WR Jalen Tolbert
WR Jalen Brooks

Both of the Jalens deserve a nod after glowing reports. With CeeDee Lamb still holding out, Tolbert is getting a lot of work with the starters and his growing chemistry with QB Dak Prescott is on display. Granted, Tolbert had a lot of hype coming out of last year’s camp and we didn’t see much from him in the regular season. But with Michael Gallup gone, Tolbert stands to get plenty of targets and perhaps fill a void as a guy Prescott trusts to make tough, contested catches.

Brooks was already a frontrunner to make the team and is cementing that projection now. In addition to being a reliable target, Brooks is showing above-average speed and could be dangerous against likely single coverage. Dallas has needed more consistent speed in their passing game for several years and perhaps this second-year prospect will supply it.

OT Tyler Guyton

Veteran Chuma Edoga got the first looks as the starting left tackle but Guyton has quickly taken over. The first-round rookie has held up well early, even when challenged by the pass rushing of Micah Parsons. Guyton has always been expected to start; the Edoga sighting was just veteran deference and traditional treatment of rookies. But if Guyton can keep this going against other teams, his arrival may do as much to help the Cowboys now as in the future.

CB Caelen Carson

Called a steal when Dallas took him in the fifth round last April, Carson is validating the claim with a strong camp so far. Showing a good mix of strength and coverage ability, Carson is already outshining more experienced prospects and locking up the fourth spot on the CB depth chart. With Trevon Diggs still on PUP, Carson is getting run with the first-team defense and earning trust quickly.

Fallers

QB Trey Lance

It’s early but our young QB prospect hasn’t hit the ground running. We’ve seen several lowlights of bad throws and a general lack of enthusiasm about how Lance has looked so far. It’s important to keep in mind that he’s mostly practicing with third-team receivers and offensive linemen so that limits what he can show. But so far there hasn’t been anything to get excited about.

OL Cooper Beebe

While Tyler Guyton appears to have taken his assumed starting role at left tackle, Beebe is still looking up at Brock Hoffman on the center depth chart. Beebe reportedly struggled with shotgun snaps last week and has remained with the backups so far in camp. This isn’t to say he won’t be the starter by Week 1, but many assumed he’d waltz into the role after the draft. It appears the rookie is going to have to fight for it.

CB Israel Mukuamu
CB Nahshon Wright

Sometimes a fall is more about what other guys are doing than what you are. While Carson and Josh Butler are making noise so far in camp, these two fourth-year corners have been quiet and perpetuated beliefs that they won’t make the roster again. Mukuamu at least has some position flex going for him, but Wright definitely seems to be just a body at this point.