Dallas Cowboys Training Camp Battles to Watch

Throughout each of the last three seasons, it appeared the Dallas Cowboys were prepared to get over the hump and reach their first NFC Championship Game since 1995. Unfortunately, it’s been a lot of the same. Following three consecutive 12-5 seasons, the Cowboys only have one playoff win to show for it.

As we quickly approach training camps across the NFL, there’s never been less optimism among Cowboys fans. The recent regular season success hasn’t been enough, as these talented teams have failed to achieve playoff success. On paper, they’re not wrong.

From 2021 to 2023, the Cowboys finished as the top scoring offense twice and as a top-five scoring defense twice. Teams with this type of regular season success should consistently be making it to the Championship Round. Not the Cowboys though.

With several key departures this offseason, it opens up several unique training camp battles for the Cowboys.

This offseason, the Cowboys have lost seven key starters. Between contract negotiations and the departures of that septet, this could be a transition year for the Cowboys, which creates some interesting training camp battles with the team returning to the field on July 24.

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1 RB1: In With The Old, Out With The New

Ezekiel Elliott returns to Dallas to battle Rico Dowdle for the starting running back position.

After a season with the New England Patriots, Ezekiel Elliott decided to re-sign with the Cowboys following the departure of Tony Pollard, who had claimed his RB1 job after the 2022 campaign.

While there are plenty of great memories of Elliott in Dallas, he’s clearly been on the decline over the last four seasons. There’s a reason why the Cowboys moved on from Elliott in the first place, but they couldn’t pass up on signing him after they were unable to draft a running back or wrangle one on the free agent market.

It might seem like a guarantee that Elliott will be the Cowboys’ starting running back in 2024, but that is far from certain. Mike McCarthy has already said that Elliott won’t carry the full workload, so there will be some type of committee entering this season. Based on last year, there might actually be a better option to start for the Cowboys at running back.

Last season, Elliott was the most successful in the passing game, but he was the least efficient runner. Rico Dowdle and Royce Freeman were equally efficient in the run game, but on far fewer carries than Elliott.

So, while Elliott has a history with the Cowboys, he may not be the running best back suited to start. If Dallas decides to enter the trade market for a running back, it could make things even more interesting.

2 Revised Linebacker Room

There’s a lot of change coming to the Cowboys’ linebacker room

2024 is going to look a lot different for the Cowboys’ linebacker room. Leighton Vander Esch retired, and Markquese Bell is returning to the safety position, creating a complete shakeup of the position group. Dallas will have Damone Clark back, but other than that, many of their linebackers are free agent additions or recent draft picks.

The linebacker position was a weakness last season for Dallas, due to their lack of size. Now, they have a lot more size, speed, and athleticism. They’re a lot younger, with three of their linebackers under the age of 25, but this gives them a good blend of experience with potential.

The veteran Kendricks, who has played for new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer before, will surely start, but who gets the spot next to him is certainly up for grabs when Cowboys camp opens.

3 Battle Of The Centers

Tyler Biadasz’s departure leads to a camp battle

After three seasons as the Cowboys starting center, Tyler Biadasz joined the Washington Commanders this offseason. Now, Dallas has a legitimate training camp battle between last year’s backup center, Brock Hoffman, and newly drafted offensive lineman, Cooper Beebe.

Both players are intriguing, but there’s only one spot open. Hoffman has experience with the Cowboys, with two starts under his belt. Beebe was primarily playing guard in college, but he was one of the best interior offensive linemen in the country.

It’s more than likely that Beebe will be the center of the future, unless the Cowboys plan is to let him eventually take over for Zack Martin, who’s recently discussed the possibility of retirement. There are several routes the team can take with these two players, which will not only be as important for 2024, but will be crucial to the future of this offensive line.

4 Next Premier Rotational Edge Rusher

Recent departures leave an opportunity for another edge rusher to shine

Unlike most teams, the Cowboys rotate their edge rushers a ton. That might change under Zimmer, but the Cowboys edge rushers behind Micah Parsons are at their best when they’re fresh. With the departures of Fowler Jr. and Armstrong, it leaves two important position battles for the Cowboys defense.

Sam Williams and Marshawn Kneeland are the two primary candidates to take over these roles, but Viliami Fehoko Jr. is another recent draft pick that the Cowboys haven’t seen play yet. Williams is probably in-line for the largest snap share as he enters year three with the most experience of the trio, but Dallas recently added Kneeland and Fehoko Jr. in the last two drafts.

All of these players will have a much larger role than they have ever had, but the order of snaps that they receive will be fascinating to see, as Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence will be the two starting edge rushers.

5 Replacing Michael Gallup

As Jalen Tolbert steps into a more prominent role, the Cowboys WR4 position is wide open.

Dallas went from one of the best wide receiver corps in the NFL from 2020-2021, to a lot of question marks entering the 2024 season. CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks, and Jalen Tolbert are cemented as the top-three wide receivers, but there’s an open battle after them.

The Cowboys haven’t invested heavily in the draft at the wide receiver position since the 2022 edition, when they selected Tolbert. They have drafted Jalen Brooks and Ryan Flournoy in the later rounds of the last two drafts, but that’s really it. The rest of the wide receiver room consists of undrafted free agents that they have signed over the last few years, who could all compete for the WR4 role.

One guy who could win the job and become the Cowboys’ X-factor is KaVontae Turpin. He’s got speed that no one else has in this wide receiver room, but lacks the size and strength to do some of the dirty work, including as a run blocker. (Though as WR4, it’s unlikely he would be called into action on many running plays.)

While they’re not all the best options, the Cowboys do have a bevy of choices for their WR4. Brooks and Turpin have the most experience of the bunch, but Flournoy is a recent draft pick of the Cowboys. Nonetheless, those three should be guaranteed a roster spot for now, with their roles to be determined in training camp.

All stats are courtesy of Pro Football Reference and Spotrac.

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