Cowboys' Biggest Questions to Answer in 2023 NFL Preseason
The Dallas Cowboys enter 2023 with high expectations, but there are still some questions the team needs to answer before meeting the New York Giants in Week 1.
The Cowboys will bring back the same talented core that won a playoff game last year, but there are still some relatively important players who will need to be replaced. That's just an annual reality for any team that has built a decent roster.
The good news is that Dallas' meeting with the Giants doesn't happen until Sunday night, September 10. It will have three preseason games to get things right and get a better understanding of what various players can do.
Preseason games are a bit of a bore for veterans. There's a reason that some of the Cowboys' biggest stars probably won't end up playing in any of them.
They are, however, a useful evaluation tool for players trying to earn a bigger role or just make the team. Here's what information the Cowboys need to find out from their three preseason contests.
Do They Need Another Running Back?
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Cutting Ezekiel Elliott was a prudent financial move for the Cowboys. He was getting paid like one of the best running backs even though his production and level of play had clearly dropped.
That being said, he still served an important function within the Dallas offense. Tony Pollard has proved to be an explosive runner with fourth-highest breakaway run rate in the league, per Player Profiler.
Elliott still saw heavy usage in short yardage and red-zone situations. He had 50 percent of the Cowboys' carries inside the 20, and 69.6 percent of the carries inside the five-yard line.
Pollard might get more of those touches, but it's also a good idea to have another tough runner who can take some of the between-the-tackles touches to keep him healthy all season.
Ronald Jones II might wind up being that guy, but he was just suspended for two games for violating the league's performance-enhancing drugs policy.
Rookie running back Deuce Vaughn doesn't have the body type (5'6", 176 lbs) for the role. That leaves Malik Davis and Rico Dowdle. If neither looks impressive in the preseason, then the Cowboys could be in the market for another back.
Elliott, Dalvin Cook, Kareem Hunt and Leonard Fournette are all still available.
How Will Tight End Reps Be Divided?
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One of the most significant losses this offseason was Dalton Schultz. The veteran tight end was not elite at the position, but he was a good veteran who had proved himself.
Now they'll be leaning heavily on a group of young guys who are going to be asked to step up.
Jake Ferguson figures to be the leader in the clubhouse for the majority of the snaps right now. He played 40 percent of the offensive snaps last season, so it's logical that he would step into a larger role with Schultz gone.
But the Cowboys also drafted Luke Schoonmaker in the second round, making the position group much more interesting. Peyton Hendershot had a small role on the offense last season, playing 298 offensive snaps.
Schoonmaker is currently dealing with plantar fasciitis that is keeping him off the practice field, but he's obviously in their plans when he returns based on the draft capital they used to get him.
Ferguson feels each of the tight ends in the room can bring something to the table.
"Anybody can play. And I think a lot of guys in this room are gonna make plays and are making plays right now," he said, per Patrik Walker of the team's website.
The preseason is going to be key for figuring out how healthy Schoonmaker can get, what Hendershot is going to do and how many of the snaps Ferguson will share with his fellow tight ends.
Is Jalen Tolbert's Hype Legit?
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There's been a lot of buzz this offseason around Jalen Tolbert. The second-year player had every opportunity to emerge as an offensive weapon last season but wasn't ready to rise to that challenge.
The 24-year-old finished the season with just two catches for 12 yards and only played in eight games despite being healthy. James Washington was out for the season, and Michael Gallup struggled with injuries. It was a worst-case scenario after the Cowboys used a third-round pick on him last season.
There's hope that a breakout is coming, though. There have been training camp highlights on social media, Dak Prescott has sung his praises, and he's impressed beat writers covering camp.
All of that stuff is great, but the next step in showing that he could give good return on the Cowboys' investment is doing it against live opponents. Tolbert made two catches in each of the three preseason games last season but only had 44 yards.
If he shows out and makes a few more downfield plays in the preseason this year, he could show fans and the coaching staff that his growth is actually going to translate in games.
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