Cowboys' Biggest Weaknesses Ahead of 2023 NFL Training Camp
The Dallas Cowboys should be back in the playoff mix this season, though the team won't look exactly like it did a year ago.
Dallas parted company with key veterans Dalton Schultz and Ezekiel Elliott early in the offseason and will find roles for incoming players such as Stephon Gilmore, Brandin Cooks and rookie Mazi Smith.
The departures of Schultz and Elliott leave some questions on the offensive side of the football, though, and the Cowboys will be seeking a few answers before or during training camp. If they can't find them with the current roster, they do have $14.1 million in cap space and may dive back into the player pool before Week 1.
Not every question involves the players who will be on the field, of course. Dallas must also construct a new offense following the departure of coordinator Kellen Moore. But the Mike McCarthy-led scheme can't be considered a weakness just yet.
The following three areas can, however, and should be primary points of focus in the coming weeks.
Tight End
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Dalton Schultz's departure leaves a big hole in Dallas' passing attack, at least for now.
The 26-year-old was one of Dak Prescott's top targets in 2022, finishing the season with 57 catches, 577 yards and five touchdowns. Until the Cowboys find a suitable starting replacement, the position has to be considered a weakness.
The issue is that while the team has plenty of candidates at the position—including Jake Ferguson, Peyton Hendershot, Sean McKeon, Seth Green and Luke Schoonmaker—it lacks experience at the top of the depth chart.
Ferguson was the team's second-most productive tight end in 2022 with only 174 receiving yards. While the expectations for Schoonmaker are high, the rookie second-rounder may face a lengthy adjustment period.
The 24-year-old recorded just 54 receptions for 637 yards during his time at Michigan. Dallas, but the Dallas coach views him as a starter.
"I would definitely view [Schoonmaker] as a starter type as far as his impact," McCarthy told reporters. "He will clearly play all four positions in the tight end area: on the line, off the ball, lead-back and displaced."
Until Schoonmaker proves he's up to the challenge, the Cowboys have to wonder if a starting-caliber tight end is on their roster.
Dallas may end up using a committee at the position and perhaps relying on it less in the passing game than it did with Schultz in the lineup.
Depth at Running Back
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The departure of Ezekiel Elliott—who, it should be noted, remains unsigned—leaves a lot of uncertainty at the running back position. Tony Pollard, who was given the franchise tag this offseason, should be the starter and can be a good one.
While splitting time with Elliott in 2022, Pollard racked up 1,378 scrimmage yards, 12 combined touchdowns and a Pro Bowl nod. The weakness here is behind Pollard on the depth chart.
Dallas simply doesn't have a lot of experience behind the 26-year-old, with 2022 undrafted rookie Malik Davis and sixth-round rookie Deuce Vaughn likely near the top of the depth chart. The former played just 79 snaps last season, while the latter is an untested 5'5", 179-pound prospect.
The Cowboys also have former Tampa Bay Buccaneers starter Ronald Jones II, who had a mere 17 carries in 2022, and special-teamer Rico Dowdle at the position.
Depth will be vital because Pollard has never been an every-down back and is coming off of leg surgery. If he struggles in a more prominent role or fails to regain his pre-injury form altogether, the Dallas ground game could be in trouble.
Over the next several weeks, the Cowboys will have to determine if they have enough depth on the roster or whether re-signing Elliott or targeting another free agent such as Dalvin Cook will become necessary.
Run Defense
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Defensively, the Cowboys should have a ton of questions. Dan Quinn's unit returns almost entirely intact, and it's a group that ranked fifth in points allowed while recording 54 sacks a season ago.
The one weakness on that side of the ball is the run defense. The Cowboys ranked a modest 22nd in rushing yards allowed last season and went 6-6 in games in which they surrendered 100 or more rushing yards, including the playoffs.
Specifically, Dallas lacks depth on the interior of its defensive line and at linebacker—pass-rushers like Micah Parsons aside.
This is precisely why the Cowboys used a first-round pick on Mazi Smith and took linebacker DeMarvion Overshown in Round 3.
The unknown is how quickly Smith and Overshown can make an impact against the run. The former, in particular, appears to be a bit of a project.
"The Wolverine is more traits and tools than a finished project," Matt Holder of the Bleacher Report Scouting Department wrote of the Michigan product.
If the Cowboys aren't thrilled with the progress of Smith and Overshown during camp, it would behoove them to look back at the free-agent market and try to uncover a proven run defender or two to add to their rotation.
*Advanced statistics from Pro Football Reference. Cap information via Spotrac.
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