Dallas Cowboys' 5 Biggest Training Camp Battles

The pads come on soon for the Dallas Cowboys, and that means it's time for players to earn jobs and starting roles. Despite going 13-3 in 2016, Dallas has a number of jobs up for grabs.

Some are at vital positions, such as middle linebacker and at left guard, while others, such as the third running back spot, don't hold the same importance.

Nevertheless, there will be a ton of healthy competition at Cowboys camp over the next month. These are the top-five camp battles to watch during the preseason. 

Middle Linebacker: Anthony Hitchens vs. Jaylon Smith

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Training camp for the Cowboys in 2017 might as well be named "Jaylon Smith Watch," as the second-year linebacker is scheduled to put the pads on for the first time in his NFL career later this month.

All eyes will be watching Smith's every move, but there's also another linebacker who needs to be closely monitored as well; Anthony Hitchens. 

Hitchens started every game at middle linebacker last season, totaling 78 tackles in the process. He obviously doesn't have the athleticism (or the hype) that Smith has, but Hitchens is a reliable player who has played in every single game since being drafted in 2014. 

While some believe Smith will win this job easily if/when he's healthy, I'm not as optimistic about his chances. Hitchens was a much-improved player in 2016, and the Cowboys will likely be cautious with Smith if he ever gets on the field this season.  

For that reason, Hitchens will win the middle linebacker spot in camp and become the team's Week 1 starter at the position when they take on the Giants. If Smith does prove to be healthy enough to play this season, the Cowboys may work him into the game and limit his snaps early on.  

This is going to be a fun battle to watch in camp because, as excited as I am about Smith, I think there's another level Hitchens can reach in his fourth season.  

Projected Winner: Anthony Hitchens

Left Guard: Chaz Green vs. Jonathan Cooper

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One of the more anticipated camp battles will be at left guard as the Cowboys try to find a replacement for Ronald Leary, who left in free agency. What makes this potential battle so intriguing is, as of now, we are not even sure who the main competitors will be for the job.

The expectation is that former first-round pick Jonathan Cooper and third-year player Chaz Green will likely compete for the job in camp. Both have struggled to stay on the field in their short careers, but it's clear each has enough talent to certainly warrant a starting spot on one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. 

Cooper has more experience at the position than Green, but the former is now on his fourth team after being drafted seventh overall in the 2013 draft. He's started just 14 games in his four-year career, and after studying him on the field, I believe injuries have severely robbed Cooper of his elite athleticism. 

However, Cooper played well in his three starts last season and has dramatically increased his play every year since being in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus. Ideally, Dallas would love Cooper to win this job, as it would allow Green to stay as the swing tackle on game days. 

Green will get the first shot at winning the job, and he should succeed if he can stay healthy. In OTAs and in mini-camps, Green worked with the first-team at left guard. The Cowboys have more invested in Green as he was a third-round pick in 2015, and I believe they think he can be a better-than-average guard in the NFL. 

If neither wins the job and/or fails to stay healthy, expect the Cowboys to use veteran Byron Bell until they find a better option. While the left guard position is arguably the least valuable position on the offensive line, the Cowboys have prided themselves in not having a weak link among their unit. This is a spot that may not be decided until the first week of the season. 

Projected Winner: Chaz Green

Punt Returner: Lucky Whitehead vs. Ryan Switzer

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When the Cowboys spent a fourth-round pick on one of the best punt returners in the nation in Ryan Switzer, everyone assumed that meant the end of Lucky Whitehead in Dallas.

While that still could be true, don't write him off yet. The NFL is a meritocracy and the Cowboys proved last year with Dak Prescott that they will play the best player, regardless of name or stature.  

However, it's no secret Whitehead struggled last year as the team's punt returner. He averaged 7.8 yards per return, and that put him 13th in the league in terms of the average players who returned at least 20 punts in 2016. Over the past two seasons, Whitehead has averaged just 6.9 yards per return in his first two seasons and has failed to score a touchdown.  

On top of the poor yards per return, Whitehead was replaced multiple times last season for misjudging punts and was replaced by Cole Beasley. However, the fact the Cowboys kept giving Whitehead chances means they do see value in him as a returner. 

But the fact remains that Dallas spent a fourth-round pick on a returner, and Switzer is likely the favorite to win the job. Switzer would have to fumble multiple punts in the preseason in order to lose this job, but this is his position to lose heading into camp. 

Projected Winner: Ryan Switzer

Right Defensive End: Taco Charlton vs. DeMarcus Lawrence

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Ever since DeMarcus Ware left after the 2013 season, the Cowboys have struggled to find a truly dominant force on the right side of their defense.

Dallas has shuffled pass rushers in and out searching for someone to man that spot. In 2017, the two players who will likely get a chance to rush from the ever-important right defensive end spot are DeMarcus Lawrence and Taco Charlton. 

Let's start with the veteran in Lawrence. He enters his fourth season and a contract year, but he has a lot of questions to answer before Dallas would even consider signing him to a second contract. Lawrence suffered with a back injury all year, and that limited him to starting just three games and playing in nine, totaling 11 tackles and one sack.

To complicate things, Lawrence had another back surgery this offseason. It's the second consecutive season he's had to deal with a back injury. He's been limited in what he's done this offseason, but the expectation is that he will be ready at some point during training camp. 

His competition will be 2017 first-round pick Taco Charlton from Michigan. Charlton doesn't look like a typical right defensive end, but his long arms and big frame might allow him to find success at the position.

Ultimately, Charlton may win this job by default if Lawrence isn't healthy, but he will get a ton of repetitions early in camp to prove he deserves to start.

I'm just not sure how healthy Lawrence is or if he can get healthy by the end of camp. For that reason alone, Charlton wins the right defensive end job for the start of the season.

Dallas doesn't need to rush Lawrence in camp or for the start of the season, so expect Charlton to be the team's starting defensive end in Week 1 against the Giants. 

Projected Winner: Taco Charlton 

Third Running Back: Alfred Morris vs. Rod Smith

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Aside from the four already mentioned, there are numerous other battles to watch, such as Xavier Woods vs. Kavon Frazier, and Charles Tapper vs. Damontre Moore.

But the final notable one is for the third running back spot. This job doesn't have the same flair as the middle linebacker job, but it could be important for a variety of reasons.  

The biggest reason is, of course, the impending suspension of Ezekiel Elliott. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, there's a "growing sense" that Elliott could face a short suspension to start the season. If that were to happen, Darren McFadden will likely assume the role of the team's starter. 

However, the Cowboys would likely use some sort of running back by committee approach, and that means Alfred Morris or Rod Smith could be the starter. But aside from just the possible suspension of Elliott, roster construction plays a big role into who the Cowboys may keep at this spot. 

Morris is the favorite to win, but Smith has the versatility and youth to possibly take it. Smith is the better blocker, pass catcher and special teams player. If Smith can come close to Morris in terms of pure running ability, Smith could steal the job from the veteran. 

My guess is that Dallas will keep Morris if Elliott does, in fact, get suspended. But if he is cleared, I wouldn't be shocked if Smith makes Morris expendable. There's also a chance Dallas keeps both, but that will depend on Smith's training camp and in the preseason.

Projected Winner: Alfred Morris