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By John Owning
9:00 AM on May 31, 2021
While the competition on the defensive side of the ball will get more attention, there’s no shortage of position battles on the Dallas Cowboys’ offense either.
The Cowboys haven’t made a lot of moves on the offensive side of the ball this offseason, opting to largely stand pat on the unit from last year, which makes sense given the sheer talent Dallas boasts on every offensive group. Still, some change could occur depending on how some of the position battles play out through OTAs, minicamp and training camp.
So let’s dive in, shall we?
Backup QB
In case Cowboys fans forgot, last year revealed why the backup QB position is one of the most important jobs on the roster, as Dallas struggled to piece together positive offense without Dak Prescott on the field.
Interestingly enough, the Cowboys have done little to shore up the position this offseason despite that fact, as they’ve yet to replace last year’s backup QB Andy Dalton, who signed with the Chicago Bears in free agency. They have flirted with the likes of Jeff Driskel and Brett Hundley in free agency but have yet to make a move.
Dalton’s absence and the lack of an established free agent acquisition mean there should be a serious competition for the No. 2 QB spot on Dallas’ depth chart.
To me, Garrett Gilbert is the favorite to win the gig, especially if Dallas doesn’t opt to sign a veteran QB. Gilbert performed admirably in his lone appearance last year against the Pittsburgh Steelers, throwing for 243 yards, one touchdown and one interception while being pressured on 42% of his dropbacks in a loss.
After Gilbert, second-year QB Ben DiNucci shouldn’t be discounted despite his atrocious performance when given the opportunity last year. DiNucci just wasn’t ready for the NFL stage in his lone start against the Philadelphia Eagles, but like with any young player, development from Year 1 to Year 2 can be vast. Mike McCarthy just mentioned at a recent press conference that DiNucci has taken a “big step” in his development, which is a great sign. It would not surprise me at all if DiNucci looked much improved during training camp, allowing him to take control of the backup QB competition.
Cooper Rush also can’t be discounted, though I have him as a distant third in my personal power rankings of the backup QB competition. Rush is the most experienced of the bunch, as he’s been Dallas’ backup at some point in each season dating back to 2017. That experience could pay dividends in the backup QB competition.
There’s also a chance the Cowboys bring in a QB before training camp. I liked the idea of signing Brett Hundley due to his familiarity with McCarthy in addition to his similar play style to Prescott — meaning Dallas couldn’t have to overhaul the offense if Prescott were injured. Hundley is athletic for a QB and has plenty of arm talent, though he hasn’t been very accurate throughout his NFL career. Robert Griffin III would also be a free agent QB who I’d be very interested in.
Regardless, if the Cowboys do sign a QB before training, you can bet that he will have a great chance to win the backup QB gig, otherwise, why sign him in the first place?
The position is valuable and the competition will be fierce, which is why it will be interesting to monitor the competition to be Prescott’s backup through the offseason and into training camp.
Left guard
Arguably, the only competition for a starting spot on the Cowboys’ offense this offseason will be at left guard, as Connor McGovern will try to overtake the incumbent Connor Williams for the starting gig.
Williams has improved steadily each year since entering the league, and he was Dallas’ most reliable last season, especially after Zack Martin was lost for the season. Coming into the league devoid of NFL-caliber play strength, Williams’ strides in the weight room have carried over to the football field, as his ability to displace defenders in the run game and absorb power rushers in pass protection has improved significantly of late.
To beat out Williams, McGovern is going to need to show well through OTAs, minicamp and training camp, as the job isn’t going to be given to him without injury. For McGovern’s sake, hopefully, his experience last year will accelerate his development on the field.
What McGovern has going for him is his natural ability to recover when put in compromising positions. If he can round out his skillset, that ability to recover could be the defining trait that gives him a leg up on Williams, who doesn’t display the same natural recovery ability as McGovern. In addition, McGovern is one of the rare guards who can match Williams’ athleticism and ability to get out and block in space.
As I stated last week, I expect Williams to be the Week 1 starter at left guard for the Cowboys’ offense.
No. 5 (and maybe 6) WR
Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup have the top three spots on Dallas’ wide receiver depth chart secured, and I’d even venture to say that Cedrick Wilson is locked into the No. 4 WR spot. After that, though, it’s anybody’s guess as to how it will play out.
Noah Brown is the incumbent who did perform well last season when given the opportunity. Brown has gained a reputation as Dallas’ best blocking receiver and an effective special teamer. As a receiver, Brown is a big (6-2 and 225 pounds), tough receiver with reliable hands who would fit the possession WR archetype.
The receiver with the best chance to take his spot on the depth chart is 2021 fifth-round pick Simi Fehoko, who possesses similar size (6-3 and 222 pounds) but brings an additional element of deep, vertical speed that Brown just can’t replicate. Fehoko’s ability to stretch defenses vertically with his speed, in theory, could add a big-play element to Dallas’ passing attack — similar to how Green Bay incorporates Marquez Valdez-Scantling.
Nonetheless, while Fehoko and Brown are the favorites, they’re nowhere near the only legitimate contenders to make Dallas’ 53-man roster.
Veteran Malik Turner was claimed off waivers last year and remained on the roster the rest of the season — though he was only active for six games and didn’t record a reception. While we haven’t had a real opportunity to evaluate Turner’s skill set since joining Dallas, at previous stops, he was a developing route-runner with good quickness and releases off the line of scrimmage.
Aaron Parker and Stephen Guidry are both UDFAs from the 2020 class who have a shot to compete. Parker spent most of his time on Dallas’ practice squad while Guidry opted out of the 2020 seasons due to COVID-19 concerns. I would say both are long shots to vie for one of the last receiver spots.
The Cowboys, interestingly enough, have also added a bevy of end-of-the-roster receiver talent this offseason as well, signing Brennan Eagles, TJ Vasher, Osirus Mitchell and Brandon Smith in UDFA alongside Johnnie Dixon from the veteran pool of free agents. Out of that lot, I’ve stated in the past that Eagles and Vasher have the best opportunities to make the squad, though Smith has received a lot of buzz as well. I would put all three in the darkhorse category in the competition for the last receiver spots on the roster.
If the Cowboys keep six receivers, I’d expect Fehoko and Brown to be favorites to win the competition for the last two spots. However, if they opt to keep just five, then I’d slightly favor Fehoko due to the draft capital invested in him along with his ability to win with the vertical route tree — though the others certainly can’t be discounted either.
9:00 AM on May 31, 2021
While the competition on the defensive side of the ball will get more attention, there’s no shortage of position battles on the Dallas Cowboys’ offense either.
The Cowboys haven’t made a lot of moves on the offensive side of the ball this offseason, opting to largely stand pat on the unit from last year, which makes sense given the sheer talent Dallas boasts on every offensive group. Still, some change could occur depending on how some of the position battles play out through OTAs, minicamp and training camp.
So let’s dive in, shall we?
Backup QB
In case Cowboys fans forgot, last year revealed why the backup QB position is one of the most important jobs on the roster, as Dallas struggled to piece together positive offense without Dak Prescott on the field.
Interestingly enough, the Cowboys have done little to shore up the position this offseason despite that fact, as they’ve yet to replace last year’s backup QB Andy Dalton, who signed with the Chicago Bears in free agency. They have flirted with the likes of Jeff Driskel and Brett Hundley in free agency but have yet to make a move.
Dalton’s absence and the lack of an established free agent acquisition mean there should be a serious competition for the No. 2 QB spot on Dallas’ depth chart.
To me, Garrett Gilbert is the favorite to win the gig, especially if Dallas doesn’t opt to sign a veteran QB. Gilbert performed admirably in his lone appearance last year against the Pittsburgh Steelers, throwing for 243 yards, one touchdown and one interception while being pressured on 42% of his dropbacks in a loss.
After Gilbert, second-year QB Ben DiNucci shouldn’t be discounted despite his atrocious performance when given the opportunity last year. DiNucci just wasn’t ready for the NFL stage in his lone start against the Philadelphia Eagles, but like with any young player, development from Year 1 to Year 2 can be vast. Mike McCarthy just mentioned at a recent press conference that DiNucci has taken a “big step” in his development, which is a great sign. It would not surprise me at all if DiNucci looked much improved during training camp, allowing him to take control of the backup QB competition.
Cooper Rush also can’t be discounted, though I have him as a distant third in my personal power rankings of the backup QB competition. Rush is the most experienced of the bunch, as he’s been Dallas’ backup at some point in each season dating back to 2017. That experience could pay dividends in the backup QB competition.
There’s also a chance the Cowboys bring in a QB before training camp. I liked the idea of signing Brett Hundley due to his familiarity with McCarthy in addition to his similar play style to Prescott — meaning Dallas couldn’t have to overhaul the offense if Prescott were injured. Hundley is athletic for a QB and has plenty of arm talent, though he hasn’t been very accurate throughout his NFL career. Robert Griffin III would also be a free agent QB who I’d be very interested in.
Regardless, if the Cowboys do sign a QB before training, you can bet that he will have a great chance to win the backup QB gig, otherwise, why sign him in the first place?
The position is valuable and the competition will be fierce, which is why it will be interesting to monitor the competition to be Prescott’s backup through the offseason and into training camp.
Left guard
Arguably, the only competition for a starting spot on the Cowboys’ offense this offseason will be at left guard, as Connor McGovern will try to overtake the incumbent Connor Williams for the starting gig.
Williams has improved steadily each year since entering the league, and he was Dallas’ most reliable last season, especially after Zack Martin was lost for the season. Coming into the league devoid of NFL-caliber play strength, Williams’ strides in the weight room have carried over to the football field, as his ability to displace defenders in the run game and absorb power rushers in pass protection has improved significantly of late.
To beat out Williams, McGovern is going to need to show well through OTAs, minicamp and training camp, as the job isn’t going to be given to him without injury. For McGovern’s sake, hopefully, his experience last year will accelerate his development on the field.
What McGovern has going for him is his natural ability to recover when put in compromising positions. If he can round out his skillset, that ability to recover could be the defining trait that gives him a leg up on Williams, who doesn’t display the same natural recovery ability as McGovern. In addition, McGovern is one of the rare guards who can match Williams’ athleticism and ability to get out and block in space.
As I stated last week, I expect Williams to be the Week 1 starter at left guard for the Cowboys’ offense.
No. 5 (and maybe 6) WR
Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup have the top three spots on Dallas’ wide receiver depth chart secured, and I’d even venture to say that Cedrick Wilson is locked into the No. 4 WR spot. After that, though, it’s anybody’s guess as to how it will play out.
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Noah Brown is the incumbent who did perform well last season when given the opportunity. Brown has gained a reputation as Dallas’ best blocking receiver and an effective special teamer. As a receiver, Brown is a big (6-2 and 225 pounds), tough receiver with reliable hands who would fit the possession WR archetype.
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The receiver with the best chance to take his spot on the depth chart is 2021 fifth-round pick Simi Fehoko, who possesses similar size (6-3 and 222 pounds) but brings an additional element of deep, vertical speed that Brown just can’t replicate. Fehoko’s ability to stretch defenses vertically with his speed, in theory, could add a big-play element to Dallas’ passing attack — similar to how Green Bay incorporates Marquez Valdez-Scantling.
Nonetheless, while Fehoko and Brown are the favorites, they’re nowhere near the only legitimate contenders to make Dallas’ 53-man roster.
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Veteran Malik Turner was claimed off waivers last year and remained on the roster the rest of the season — though he was only active for six games and didn’t record a reception. While we haven’t had a real opportunity to evaluate Turner’s skill set since joining Dallas, at previous stops, he was a developing route-runner with good quickness and releases off the line of scrimmage.
Aaron Parker and Stephen Guidry are both UDFAs from the 2020 class who have a shot to compete. Parker spent most of his time on Dallas’ practice squad while Guidry opted out of the 2020 seasons due to COVID-19 concerns. I would say both are long shots to vie for one of the last receiver spots.
The Cowboys, interestingly enough, have also added a bevy of end-of-the-roster receiver talent this offseason as well, signing Brennan Eagles, TJ Vasher, Osirus Mitchell and Brandon Smith in UDFA alongside Johnnie Dixon from the veteran pool of free agents. Out of that lot, I’ve stated in the past that Eagles and Vasher have the best opportunities to make the squad, though Smith has received a lot of buzz as well. I would put all three in the darkhorse category in the competition for the last receiver spots on the roster.
If the Cowboys keep six receivers, I’d expect Fehoko and Brown to be favorites to win the competition for the last two spots. However, if they opt to keep just five, then I’d slightly favor Fehoko due to the draft capital invested in him along with his ability to win with the vertical route tree — though the others certainly can’t be discounted either.
