The Dallas Cowboys seem confident in their group of skill position players, but ESPN has raised some doubts. In a recent article by ESPN staff writer Bill Barnwell, the Cowboys’ skill position group was ranked 18th in the league. This ranking, which assessed all 32 teams based on their running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends, suggests some potential issues for the Cowboys.
There is concern among Dallas fans that the team’s offense might regress this year, particularly after losing running back Tony Pollard to free agency and releasing wide receiver Michael Gallup without a solid replacement. As training camp approaches on July 25th, the following skill position players appear set in the Cowboys’ offensive depth chart:
Running Backs: Ezekiel Elliott, Rico Dowdle, and Deuce Vaughn
Wide Receivers: CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks, Jalen Tolbert, Jalen Brooks, Ryan Flournoy, and KaVontae Turpin
Tight Ends: Jake Ferguson, Luke Schoonmaker, and Peyton Hendershot
It is surprising to think that an offense featuring CeeDee Lamb could be ranked so low. Lamb had a career year in 2023, setting a Dallas Cowboys single-season record with 1,749 receiving yards and 135 receptions. Tight end Jake Ferguson was also a reliable target for quarterback Dak Prescott, with 71 receptions for 761 yards and five touchdowns in his second NFL season. However, the team appears thin around these two players. Veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks had a slow season, recording just 657 receiving yards. Barnwell noted the decline in Cooks’ performance:
“Brandin Cooks has fallen off noticeably over the past two seasons. After averaging over 2.0 yards per route run in each of his first two seasons with the Texans, Cooks dropped to 1.7 in 2022 and then just 1.3 in Dallas last season. His saving grace last year was a plus-8.2% catch rate over expectation, which might owe more to Prescott than Cooks, given that Lamb was at plus-10.3% and Jalen Tolbert was also above 7%.”
Jalen Tolbert and Jalen Brooks had minimal roles throughout the year, with Michael Gallup being the WR3. With Gallup now gone, it is expected that one of the Jalens will step into his place.
The running back group looks weaker than it has in years for the Cowboys. Elliott, Dowdle, and Vaughn are all considered complementary backs and will likely be used in a committee approach.
In 2023, the Cowboys were ranked seventh on Barnwell’s list, and 11th in 2022. This year, a lot of pressure will be on QB Dak Prescott as he leads what appears to be one of the less-explosive offenses he has played with in his eight seasons in Dallas.
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