After back-to-back 12-5 campaigns, and a roster that’s returning mostly intact, it’s easy to feel like we’ve got a good handle on the Dallas Cowboys as they head into the 2023 season. The reality is that the Cowboys, like every other team in the NFL, entered their yearly retreat to Oxnard, California, for training camp with several questions facing the club.
Now that we’re a couple of weeks into camp, there’s probably enough information to answer at least a few of these questions.
WHAT’S THE STRONGEST POSITION GROUP ON THE TEAM?
If there’s one area of the team that Cowboys fans should feel comfortable about, it’s this secondary.
Dallas traded for veteran Stephon Gilmore in the offseason, and the former Defensive Player of the Year looks to have a lot left in the tank. He’s been lockdown at almost every practice, regardless of the receiver he’s going up against. Trevon Diggs has looked strong since returning from a toe injury that held him out of the early part of camp, and last year’s day 3 draft steal DaRon Bland has only elevated his game. Rookie corner Eric Scott Jr., a 6th round pick out of Southern Mississippi, has coaches buzzing about being another find similar to Bland.
The safety group has successfully weathered some injuries to Donovan Wilson and Israel Mukuamu, thanks to the play of a couple of second-year safeties who went undrafted last season; Markquese Bell and Juanyeh Thomas. With reliable veterans Jayron Kearse and Malik Hooker having strong camps, the safety group – and the secondary as a whole – appears as stable as it’s been in quite some time.
WHAT’S THE MOST CONCERNING POSITION GROUP ON THE TEAM?
The leaks along the offensive line during team period are cause for a bit of alarm.
The pass rush features stout contributors like Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence, but Tyron Smith is getting beaten more consistently in this camp than any one in recent memory. Zack Martin continues to hold out, which means a rotation of Matt Farniok and Josh Ball at right guard, which hasn’t always equaled success. Right tackle Terence Steele is coming off of ACL surgery, and some of the team’s young depth, like second year lineman Matt Waletzko and rookie Asim Richards, has struggled more than you would like to see.
WHAT REMAINS UNANSWERED?
The kicking situation is a complete mystery. There’s a decent chance the player kicking for the Cowboys in week 1 isn’t even on the roster right now.
Outside of that, the implementation of Mike McCarthy and Brian Schottenheimer’s new offense will be under intense scrutiny this season, and with Dak Prescott unlikely to play in the preseason, we won’t really have any idea what that offense looks like until they step on the field in the first game against the Giants.
We’ve been given some clues, however. McCarthy has estimated that “30-35%” of the offense will be different. What we’ve seen during training camp practices would also indicate that the Cowboys won’t see a dramatic increase in pre-snap motion, but there will be expanded use of bunch formations among the receivers.
