Dallas City News

We have less than a week to go until the Dallas Cowboys kick off their regular season. Given that we have made it this far, what is a few more days?

Seeing things get going is always exciting as it helps us begin to develop a proper understanding of who the team will be this season. To this point all we have to go off is training camp and preseason action which carry obvious qualifiers. That is no longer the case.

Well… sort of. On Tuesday, the Cowboys released their first unofficial depth chart of the regular season and while it is no longer in the preseason, it is still unofficial.

Some notable takeaways:

• Tyler Guyton and Cooper Beebe are both listed as starters at left tackle and center, respectively, which would suggest at least a mild level of seriousness was used in assembling this
• Every other offensive player is the logical starter
• Ezekiel Elliott is listed as the starting running back
• Maris Liufau is slotted ahead of DeMarvion Overshown on defense
• Caelen Carson is starting opposite of Trevon Diggs
• Rico Dowdle, not Deuce Vaughn, is listed as the primary backup kick returner

Perhaps the most controversial thing here is in fact the listing of Ezekiel Elliott as the “starter” at running back. While this could be posturing from the front office with a true intention to play Rico Dowdle ahead of him, it is again worth noting that literally every other starter listed across the team makes sense. Why would the Cowboys disguise the running back position and that one alone? Who knows.

Nevertheless, this does mark another next step to things beginning on Sunday. We continue to count down the days.