Each week, we’ll get questions on Twitter and Facebook about the Dallas Cowboys players and other questions surrounding the team. So let’s get straight into it.
Are we placing all our hope in our young linebackers to take the next step (Clark, Cox, Overshawn), as well as LVE health. Or are the Cowboys looking to add a veteran in a position like last year’s Anthony Barr?
(Submitted by @ESchunho via Twitter)
Mike – Dallas linebackers seem to be the weaker group on defense, so concern about position is understandable. The plan for now is for coaches to see what they have in training camp before making any decision to explore the player free agent market. Regardless, the placement now feels light and could do with a little more depth. This does not mean that they do not have the faith or fears of the players that they do. Leighton Vander Esch was a solid player last year, and bringing in Jonathan Hankins up front last year helped him, so you’d think the addition of Mazie Smith would help him too. Gabriel Cox still has questions because of the injury, but when he’s healthy. For Damon Clarke, I think he’s going to take the next step and be the guy that makes all the plays that come his way. Don’t mind rookies Isaiah Land and Tyrus Wheat either, they could make the team’s final roster if they show up enough.
brandon – I think this year’s quarterback situation is when your mom tells you to clean your room and you proceed to stuff everything in the closet – hoping no one will notice and can fix the problem some other time. The Cowboys have one of the smallest linebacker teams I can remember, and that could be a good thing. She’s full of potential and can bring a lot of speed to Dan Quinn’s defence. However, Leighton Vander Esch and Damon Clarke have clear injury histories that limit confidence in playing 17 games.
Don’t be surprised if they make it halfway through training camp and re-sign someone like Anthony Barr to add more depth. Barr knows defense and wanted to take some time to decide on his NFL future like last season. It will easily fit your needs.
What will happen with Galen Tolbert? Will he exceed expectations?
(by @pjsheu via Twitter)
Mike – By all accounts so far, he’s been looking pretty good. This is of course just OTA’s and minicamp so I’m still reluctant to open the champagne just yet. When we look at how little playing time he had last season, and then how little playing time he had when he looked uninspired, Tolbert being someone so heavily involved in this offense would take a huge leap. I think a reasonable goal for Tolbert this year would be to save goals in the event of injury, but he hasn’t pushed for a WR4 position just yet. Do I hope he does? Yes, of course. I just think for Tolbert to be high in the scoring standings behind the top three receivers is a pretty big jump.
brandon – Jalen Tolbert is on track to make an even bigger impact than last season. He put in the work this off-season with Dak Prescott on and off the field. This usually goes a long way in player development.
When speaking to the media this season, Prescott mentioned Cedric Wilson as someone Tolbert mentioned when he made a similar jump in 2021. If things click for the sophomore future in training camp, it would be a lock for him in 2023. No. 4 for the team on the depth chart.
Any veteran in the bubble or certain to be dumped?
(Submitted by Jossy Farries via Facebook)
Mike – The first name I can think of is Neville Gallimore. He just struggled from the start in Dallas and had a down year in terms of production and execution on defense. They wanted him to be a tri-tech rushing passer in the turn but he wasn’t. When he was on the field and asked to defend the race, he failed to install the game or redirect it back into traffic. So he struggled to put pressure on and hold up against the running. He had flashes and moments where he looked good and started filling you with hope, but then seemed lost on the next play. He was ranked the tenth-worst by PFF scores for defense (36.4) and the seventh-worst by running backs defensive score (29.7). With such a defense looking to shut down the run this year, it leaves little patience for Gallimore to try and vie for a position.
brandon – The obvious answer would be Gabriel Cox. It is strange to call him a veteran because injuries have limited his ability to enter the field. He only played in 16 games over his first two seasons in Dallas, mostly on special teams. With the Cowboys drafting DeMarvion Overshown and having Devin Harper out of last year’s class, Cox could rival himself at training camp where if he doesn’t perform well, they’ll bring in someone from another team or free agency.
Poll of the week: Finally on the mailbag, we asked which tight end would score the most touchdowns in Dallas this year. Here are the results and what we saw in the survey.
Mike – I was thinking this would end a close call between Jake Ferguson and Luke Schoonmaker, but there is still a lot of love for Hendershot. Ferguson is likely to take the starting tight spot early in the season which will help him move forward in his touchdown totals this year. It will be interesting to see who will be TE1 by December. Hendershot’s lead over Schoonmaker in touchdowns is also reasonable when you consider how much rushing and speed he plays and he’s a player who can run seam routes or run out to the flat quickly in the red zone. Schoonmaker has some good underappreciated receiving skills, just keep an eye out for him when he has the chance to catch some throws.
brandon – Given his work this season, Jake Ferguson will be the supposed TE1 going into 2023. If he isn’t. 1 on the depth chart, he should add up to get the most touchdown. However, Mike McCarthy discussed involvement in the crime. Hendershot could be the leader of the dark horse in relegation, given the dynamic run he has displayed in the spots last year. His touchdown can also come as a runner, such as the play he scored in the Thanksgiving Day game against the New York Giants. One player may not have ten touchdowns from this group, but each player can have three pieces, with the leader having four.