Tag: 2024 Dallas Cowboys

Cowboys Luke Schoonmaker sidelined from OTAs with another injury

The team’s 2023 second rounder cannot seem to shake the injury bug early in his career. | From @ArmyChiefW3

Cowboys tight end Luke Schoonmaker faced a challenging and disappointing rookie season and his second year is not starting well for him either. After being drafted by the club, the Michigan product missed time during 2023 training camp due to a foot injury.

After already undergoing shoulder surgery after the end of the season, now Schoonmaker is missing more valuable time now thanks to a hamstring injury.

Schoonmaker is expected to be ready for the start of this year’s training camp in July. He entered his rookie year with high hopes following a promising college career yet struggled to find his footing in Dallas, literally. The tear hindered his ability to develop chemistry with quarterback Dak Prescott.

When he did make it onto the field, Schoonmaker showed flashes of his talent but often failed to make significant contributions to the Cowboys’ offense.

Schoonmaker’s blocking, an area where he was expected to excel, was deemed subpar and seemed to negatively impacted the team’s rushing game.

By the end of the season, he had recorded only eight catches for 64 yards and two touchdowns, a stark contrast to the expectations set for a second-round pick.

This disappointing season not only raised questions about Schoonmaker’s future with the team but also highlighted the challenges of transitioning from college to the NFL. Moving forward, it will be crucial for Schoonmaker to address his physical and mental hurdles, refocus on improving his game, and work towards becoming the reliable player the Cowboys envisioned when they brought him on board.

Here’s where Cowboys’ Day 2 selections will fit in depth chart

Where the Day 2 picks for the Dallas Cowboys could fit in the depth chart for the 2024 season. | From @cdpiglet

The Dallas Cowboys began the draft with three top 100 picks, but a trade back from pick No. 24 to pick No. 29 added an early third-round selection to their haul. Most saw Dallas’s top needs heading into Day 2 as running back, linebacker, and defensive tackle, but instead the Cowboys took a powerful edge prospect from Western Michigan, Marshawn Kneeland.

Kneeland has a clear spot on the depth chart vacated by Dorance Armstrong’s signing with the Washington Commanders. Micah Parsons and Demarcus Lawrence are the team’s top-edge rushers; Sam Williams is a rotational piece that the team needs to step up. Kneeland lands right there in a battle with Williams for snaps.

He projets to be similar to Lawrence as a plus run stopper and then uses power and a relentless motor to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks. He might also slide inside on pass-rush downs to add an extra pass-rush element to the defensive line. Kneeland can also play a role opposite Lawrence if Parsons plays more snaps at off-ball linebacker. If Parsons starts as a linebacker, Kneeland’s ability to set an edge could make him the starter over Sam Williams.

Dallas got their best value at pick No. 73 with Kansas State offensive lineman Cooper Beebe. Beebe was very flexible in college, playing offensive tackle and offensive guard, but his shorter arms and lack of athleticism in the NFL will keep him as an interior-only option for Dallas. They already are set with two All-Pro offensive guards, making Beebe battle inside at center.

He was a second-round player on plenty of boards and is likely to outperform both T.J. Bass or Brock Hoffman for the center position. If something doesn’t go as planned and Smith has to move outside, Beebe could start at LG without an issue. If this year he plays as a back then his role could end up being Zack Martin’s replacement.

Notre Dame linebacker Marist Liufau was the Cowboy’s final draft pick of Day 2 at No. 87, and his position on the depth chart could fluctuate depending on the performance of other linebackers and safety options.

The easiest spot would be at linebacker if one of the starters were performing poorly, whether it is a falloff by Eric Kendricks, DeMarvion Overshown not being able to play well coming back from injury, or Damone Clark continuing to struggle to start his career. If any of those things occur, Liufau could move in to play any of their roles. He also can play the Jayron Kearse role if Mike Zimmer wants to keep that role in his defense, as Liufau has the athleticism to play in coverage with tight ends and has zero issues getting into a gap to bring down a ball carrier.

He has an excellent mix of instincts, ability to blitz, and cover, and he will hit the opposing team hard as much as possible, so he has all the flexibility a team could ask for. To begin with, he will definitely have a role on the special teams unit.

Here’s where Tyler Guyton fits on Cowboys depth chart

Where does first-round pick Tyler Guyton fit on the depth chart of the Dallas Cowboys? | From @cdpiglet

The Dallas Cowboys, after trading down and picking up a third-round selection, used pick No. 29 to draft offensive tackle Tyler Guyton from Oklahoma. Guyton, a formidable presence at just under 6-foot-8 and over 320 pounds, with 34-inch arms, perfectly aligns with the Cowboys’ standards for the offensive tackle position. The team’s reliance on superior athleticism further solidified Guyton’s selection, given his top-notch relative athletic score (RAS).

Guyton’s overall RAS score was 9.73 out of 10, ranking him 38th out of 1,377 offensive tackles graded since 1987. He had a great rating in height, weight, vertical, 10-yard split, and 3-cone ranking by the RAS metrics. Dallas believes in drafting prospects with these traits and having their coaches develop them to their highest potential. But where will he play?

Dallas seems intent on keeping Tyler Smith at left guard, and they recently paid a big contract to right tackle, Terence Steele. Guyton will get a chance to start at left tackle first.

He would start as a rookie at possibly the most critical position on the team that isn’t quarterback, and Brock Hoffman and T.J. Bass would battle it out for the center position.

If the move from right tackle to left tackle is too much for Guyton to handle, then one other possibility is Smith moving from LG out to LT, Bass playing at LG, Hoffman starting at center, Zack Martin at right guard, and Guyton battles Steele for the RT spot.

If Steele bounces back after struggling in 2023, then Guyton gets a season to develop as a backup tackle behind Smith or Steele. If Steele continues to struggle, then Guyton could start at his natural position in college.

The rest of the 2024 draft could also impact the offensive line. If Dallas drafts a center or guard, it could change Guyton’s fate, but for now, he will get his start at LT for the Cowboys.

Solution Required: Cowboys needs at defensive tackle grow by the day

The Cowboys had to improve at DT this offseason but without using free agency, they’re getting worse, putting extra pressure on the draft, says @ReidDHanson.

When the 2024 offseason began, the Cowboys knew they had an issue in the middle of their defensive line. Troubles inside frequently seeped into the second level of the Dallas defense. Offensive linemen paved the way as opposing attacks ran rampant through the Cowboys’ notoriously thin LB corps.

To many, upgrading the middle was priority No. 1 on the defense this offseason. Outside of Johnathan Hankins, the Cowboys lacked stoutness inside. To make matters worse, Mazi Smith who was their first-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft, inexplicably slimed down prior to the season, resulting in more of a 3-tech role than a 1-tech role. Hankins was the best of the bunch at 1-tech, but he was clearly miscast as a starter and was better suited to play a rotational role behind someone, not leading the unit.

The Cowboys weren’t the only team needing an upgrade at 1-tech this offseason. An otherwise deep free agent class was picked clean at the opening bell, leaving very few options available today.

The Cowboys, always the patient buyers, now find themselves moving in the wrong direction at DT. Instead of upgrading in front of Hankins on the depth chart like so many pleaded all offseason, the Cowboys managed to lose Hankins entirely. Now they find themselves in the unfortunate position of needing not just one 1-tech DT, but two 1-tech DTs.

With Mike Zimmer running the defense in 2024, Smith could very well be asked to put weight back on and move back to a role he was more familiar with in college. But expectations should be set realistically for the second-year defender. Smith had arguably the most disappointing rookie season since Bobby Carpenter and anything more than a supportive role for Smith in 2024 is far-fetched.

Hankins-level players still appear to be on the free agent market, but options are drying up fast. Besides, the goal was to upgrade the interior, not replace it with similar talent. If the Cowboys want to see improved box play from their LBs and SAFs, they need stouter play on their line. At this point it doesn’t appear possible.

Free agency isn’t over and the draft remains, so all hope isn’t lost. But with major holes at OT, OC, LB and RB already, it’s hard to envision a way the Cowboys adequately fill all of their many starting roles between now and training camp.

Hankins wasn’t a player who absolutely had to be re-signed but the 1-tech DT position group was a group that absolutely had to be upgraded. That’s looking less and less possible by the day.

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Cowboys rewarded for cautious behavior as NFL safety market crumbles

The safety position is being devalued across the NFL with teams now following a blueprint the Cowboys have been using for years. | From @ReidDHanson

The Cowboys have been known to approach the safety position with a degree of trepidation. The team that once used a top-10 pick on a hard-hitting safety named Roy Williams, is now the team that prefers to disperse a smaller investment across multiple players. This polyamorous approach spreads the investment and the risk, and has brought on a fair share of criticism to the team in the process.

But given the state of the safety position in the league today, the Cowboys may actually be ahead of the curve. Across the NFL teams are parting ways with their high-priced safeties.

Names like Justin Simmons, Kevin Byard and Jamal Adams have all been released this offseason. Over $100 million has been shed already, per Nick Korte from Over the Cap. It marks the biggest positional purge this season by a hefty margin and illustrates the changing attitudes and volatile nature of the safety position today.

Just last year the Cowboys re-signed their homegrown safety Donovan Wilson to a three-year, $21 million deal. Modest in comparison to other megadeals across the league, the Cowboys were able to retain a top playmaker without committing too far into the future.

After Wilson, Dallas signed former Colts first-round pick Malik Hooker to an extension. He inked a similarly cap friendly three-year, $21 million deal last August. Their rehab-and-revive plan paid off with Hooker locking down the centerfielder job. They didn’t need a draft pick or big money to make it happen. They just needed patience.

Perhaps the best illustration of all was with the safety before both of them, Jayron Kearse. Kearse, an NFL journeyman, was signed as a depth piece in 2021. He proved to be an invaluable leader almost immediately, carving out an important role as Dan Quinn’s box safety and demanding a new deal in the process. Instead of falling into the same trap so many other teams have fallen into, Dallas handled Kearse conservatively. Signing him to a two-year, $10 million deal, they paid the player modestly without committing too far into the future.

By most accounts Kearse regressed in 2023, struggling in many of the same areas he thrived only two years prior. His regression could have been disastrous to Dallas if he was signed to a long-term deal. But the Cowboys only locked him in for two seasons, reducing the negative impact and giving them a clean out in 2024.

The volatility of Kearse’s play from season to season is not uncommon for the safety position. Players routinely go from Pro Bowlers to roster cuts overnight. For the safety position, the lesser the commitment is often the better commitment. Scheme changes only add to the unstable nature of the position. As coaches change, so change the scheme demands and overall fit.

It’s important to point out it’s not just the volatile performers getting the pink slip these days, but consistent top performing safeties as well. With the NFL playing more split safety schemes there’s less reliance on a single player to hold down the fort and more of a group dynamic in play. With less demanding schemes in play, lower-skilled players can adequately fill many of the needs.

Based on recent moves, the Cowboys appear to value safety play but commit resources cautiously. Since 2016, they’ve only drafted one safety (Israel Mukuamu, sixth round, 2021) and when they sign safeties, they typically keep the commitment at two to three seasons.

Dallas’ approach to the safety position allows them to stay nimble and make adjustments as needed. It’s a blueprint the rest of the NFL seems to be copying and a sign of the times in the secondary.

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Cowboys control league’s biggest QB mystery in Trey Lance

Only the Cowboys know what Trey Lance looked like last season so there’s no choice but to trust them to do the right thing (develop or trade) this offseason. | From @ReidDHanson

Cowboys QB talk has made its way back into the news. Instead of being about Dak Prescott and his upcoming contract negotiation, this time it’s about developmental prospect, Trey Lance.

Lance, acquired in a 2023 midseason trade with San Francisco, has reportedly sparked the interest of at least one QB-needy team this offseason. Under contract for the 2024 season, the Cowboys have the option of either exploring trade offers or staying the course by continuing to develop the 23-year-old signal caller.

As an undeveloped prospect, Lance has it all. He’s a highly-athletic dual threat who can create plays with his legs or with his arm. His plus traits keep his ceiling high even if his limited experience keeps his floor fairly low. Herein lies the trust.

Only two teams have truly seen what Lance has to offer as a QB prospect: the Cowboys and the 49ers. One of those teams traded him away for a fourth-round pick after just two seasons and the other team kept him buried as QB3 refusing to show their hand to anyone outside the organization.

With just 102 professional passing attempts, Lance is the NFL equivalent of Skinner’s box.

No one truly knows if he’s a good or bad prospect because there hasn’t been enough evidence available to back up either conclusion. For the Cowboys this means his value on the trade market is less than it would be if he had a few impressive games on his resume, but more than it would be if he had a few recent poor outings on his resume.

If the Cowboys thought they could have boosted Lance’s value by slipping him into some blowout situations last season, they probably would have. Keeping him sidelined kept the mystery alive. That could be in an effort to quietly groom him into the player they hoped he could be, or it could be to hide his shortfalls from would-be buyers this offseason. Only the Cowboys really know.

With just 420 passing attempts since high school, Lance remains one of the most unproven fourth-year prospects in the NFL. The former No. 3 overall pick of the 2021 NFL draft is packed with potential but at this point potential is all he offers.

The Cowboys got a free peak at Lance last season. They know his value more than anyone — save for San Francisco — so if they decide to keep him it’s for good reason. Just like if they decide to trade him, it’s also probably for good reason. There’s really no choice but to trust the Cowboys on this one.

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Tyler Smith’s future unavoidably linked to Cowboys 1st round draft pick

If the Cowboys need a new LT in 2024 they’ll likely need Tyler Smith to play it or they’ll need their first pick in the draft to fill it. | From @ReidDHanson

Tyler Smith is one of the most exciting young players on the Cowboys roster. The 2022 first rounder earned a Pro Bowl selection in just his second season as a pro and appears well on his way to All-Pro status in the not-too-distant future.

The 22-year-old lineman from Tulsa has become a cornerstone for Dallas, presumably serving as a generational bridge, as the greats ride off into the sunset and new blood assumes key roles within the trenches. Blessed with unteachable size, strength and athletic ability, Smith is on a trajectory to possibly be the best LG in the game, assuming he’s allowed to stay the course.

Recent statements made by Cowboys executive vice president and director of player personnel, Stephen Jones, indicate LG may not be Smith’s final spot. Smith was a left tackle in college and after injuries knocked Tyron Smith out for most of 2022, Tyler Smith played primarily LT as a rookie as well. His ability to play either position was one of the reasons the Cowboys drafted him. It’s a status the front office has mentioned on numerous occasions. And it’s that position flex which Jones appears to be embracing again in Year 3.

With reports indicating Tyron Smith is done in Dallas, a Cadillac-sized hole now opens at LT. Since protecting the QB’s blindside is generally Job 1 of any offensive line, Tyler Smith is likely under consideration for the role, even if it means vacating his All-Pro trajectory at LG.

The Cowboys saw what happened when a replacement level player took over for Tyron Smith at LT last season. They can’t afford to roll into 2024 with the same scenario playing out, especially since Terence Steele at RT has his own concerns in pass protection.

There’s no realistic shortcut to filling the LT role in the NFL. Most of the NFL’s better LTs come with first-round pedigree or years of seasoning (often both). It leaves the Cowboys with a dilemma on their hands. Do they move Tyler Smith to LT or do they use a first-round pick to fill the need at LT and hope his pedigree makes him a plug-and-play solution on a team with championship aspirations?

What the Cowboys want to do with Smith will likely influence their decision in the draft. Just like what they can actually accomplish in the draft will impact what they do with Smith. Both entities are linked because there’s a good chance only one or the other will solve the problem at LT.

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Can Texas’ T’Vondre Sweat be the meatloaf in the middle for the Cowboys?

T’Vondre Sweat is making headlines for his enormous showing at the NFL combine but would he be a good fit on the Cowboys? | From @ReidDHanson

The NFL combine couldn’t get enough of draft prospect T’Vontre Sweat, and at 6-foot-4, 366 pounds, there’s plenty of Sweat to go around. The 2023 Outland Trophy winnerr, awarded to the best IDL in the nation, was captivating audiences during testing and quickly becoming one of the more polarizing figures in the process.

After speculation earlier in the week circulated Sweat could weigh in north of 380-pounds for the event, 366 came off looking downright svelte on the 22-year-old behemoth. Even still, he checked in at the second-heaviest weight in the last 25 years, making him a magnet for the camera and the topic of many conversations around the NFL and within Cowboys Nation.

Coming off a season in which the middle of the defense was thoroughly exposed, the Cowboys are in the market for upgrades to their defensive interior. Finding a stout run stopper who can both 2-gap and protect LBs headlines the offseason to do list in Dallas. And Sweat fits that bill to a T.

Will McClay was asked about the difference between filling needs for Dan Quinn and filling needs for Mike Zimmer and he swerved directly to the topic of inside girth:

“We’re probably going to look more so at those bigger bodies inside,” McClay said. “…we want to find the ingredients for their recipe.”

The Cowboys added a bigger body last year when they drafted the 6-foot-3, 337-pound Mazi Smith with their first pick. All that got them was 304 defensive snaps of production after Smith inexplicably cut weight. Why exactly they drafted a brisket that immediately became ribeye is topic for a different day. But the coaching change at defensive coordinator means a preference change in the defensive interior and just about everybody recognizes a need for more size inside on the Dallas defense.

It sounds like a good fit for the man they call “meatloaf.”

“It’s been Loaf, Big Loaf, Meatloaf. Anything Loaf,” Sweat said of his most endearing nicknames.

Cowboys, Tyron Smith far apart on OT’s value, appear ready to part ways in free agency

Ian Rapoprt reports Tyron Smith is likely to leave the Cowboys in free agency marking an end of an era and bringing a new top need to Dallas. From @ReidDHanson

Tyron Smith, set to hit free agency for the first time in his illustrious career, is not expected to be back in Dallas in 2024, according to Ian Rapoport who called it the “end of an era.” The ninth-overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft had been mainstay at OT for the Cowboys from Day 1, but apparently the two sides have too much room between what each side sees as a reasonable deal for Smith to return.

From Tony Romo to Dak Prescott, Smith was charged with protecting the quarterback’s blindside. It was a job he didn’t take lightly, and a role not easily replaced.

In a free agent class that can accurately be described as paltry, at best, for the position, Smith will be a hot commodity to the many teams seeking upgrades at LT.

Smith’s reliability had become a concern in Dallas. Over the past four seasons the former All Pro had only averaged 7.5 regular season games per year. When he played, he was his usual dominant self. It just didn’t happen frequently enough.

In 2023 the Cowboys restructured Smith’s contract to reduce his base salary and free up cap space. His future with the Cowboys was in question up to that point and it allowed the veteran to stay aboard for another season. Smith rewarded them with a spectacular year, playing in 13 regular season games and ranking as one of the best LTs in the game, once again.

If Smith leaves the Cowboys as Rapoport suggests, Dallas will likely turn to internal options or the NFL draft to find a replacement. Internal OT prospects like Asim Richards, Matt Waletzko and Josh Ball are possible but moving Tyler Smith back to LT seems the most feasible.

Tyler Smith played LT at Tulsa and manned the post for the Cowboys during his rookie season in 2022. While he looked better as a LG in 2023, he was still one of the top performing rookie LTs in recent years and was on an impressive trajectory before he ultimately moved inside.

Speaking to reporters as the combine earlier in the week, Stephen Jones discussed Tyler Smith’s versatility between the two positions and instead of naming his ideal location for Smith, he left the matter somewhat open for discussion.

If the Cowboys decide to keep Tyler Smith at guard, they would likely turn to the draft to address LT. The 2024 NFL draft is rich in OT talent and an option or two is likely to slip to Dallas at Pick 24, or possibly even 56 if the Cowboys are willing to wait.

As mentioned earlier, free agency doesn’t offer many great options so the Cowboys will have to focus on internal options or the draft for real solutions. Luckily for them both avenues offer solutions.

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Cowboys interest in CB position at 2024 combine a sign of draft intent

The Cowboys are interviewing a lot of CB prospects at the NFL combine indicating the need at CB is greater than many first thought. | From @ReidDHanson

There’s a common agreement amongst the fanbase as to what the positions of need are for the Cowboys this offseason.

Linebacker is a clear need, with the unit getting completely exposed in 2023. Defensive tackle is a clear need with the entirety of the middle run defense reliant on part-timer Johnathan Hankins (who happens to also be a free agent). Offensive line is a need with two starters hitting free agency this offseason and two players possibly prepping for their last seasons in the NFL. Running back is a need with Tony Pollard and Rico Dowdle both potentially departing in free agency.

For as clear as the needs appear to be in 2024, one need appears to be flying under most people’s radar; cornerback.

The NFL draft can be a wild and unpredictable beast. Teams who are prepared for anything are usually the ones who come out on top. It’s why teams like the Cowboys devote so much time and so many resources in the process.

Nobody takes evaluation lightly and while due diligence across all positions is important for a well-prepared team, some actions from a team can be read like tea leaves in order to decipher their draft-day intentions.