The Dallas Cowboys offseason started with owner Jerry Jones vowing to go “all in” with a desire to end the team’s Super Bowl drought. Months later, with OTAs underway, many are now skeptical about just how well the Cowboys will perform in 2024 after a quiet offseason.
On paper, the Cowboys depth chart offensively looks much worse than it did a year ago. Tony Pollard is gone at running back, replaced by Ezekiel Elliott entering his age-29 season with over 2,500 career touches. Meanwhile, the Cowboys offensive line also lost center Tyler Biadasz and All-Pro left tackle Tyron Smith.
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Dallas did attempt to address its offensive line in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Cowboys traded down in Round 1 and selected offensive tackle Tyler Guyton then landed guard Cooper Beebe in Round 3. While Beebe is viewed as a plug-and-play starter, Guyton is widely viewed as a project that will struggle if forced to start immediately.
Reviewing the Cowboys’ projected starters for NFL.com, A”round the NFL” co-host and NFL analyst Gregg Rosenthal expressed concern for the team’s offensive line.
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“The offensive line hasn’t looked this shaky in years. Tyler Guyton would have been better off with a redshirt year. The guard spots are as good as any in football, but the other three starting jobs have major questions and the depth isn’t amazing.”
NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal on the Dallas Cowboys offensive line
Lack of depth on the line and worries about the team’s ability to consistently win in the trenches isn’t the only concern Rosenthal has regarding the Cowboys’ offense. He also questioned the talent and depth at wide receiver beyond CeeDee Lamb, noting the decline veteran Brandin Cooks showed signs of in 2023.
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It puts even more pressure on quarterback Dak Prescott to perform in a contract year. While he played at an MVP-caliber level in the regular season, Dallas has seemingly surrounded him with a worse supporting cast for the 2024 season.
After fielding one of the best NFL offenses in 2023, there are real questions about how consistent and productive this unit will be throughout the upcoming season. Paired with the lingering uncertainty regarding Prescott’s future in Dallas, the Cowboys seemingly face more unknowns in the future than a majority of NFL teams with a brighter future and a clear team direction.
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