Cowboys' Players Who Won't Live up to Hype in 2024 Season
The Dallas Cowboys will be under one of the biggest microscopes in the league this season.
There's always extra attention on the Cowboys, but with the added pressure of having several key players in the final year of their contracts there's going to be an even brighter light shining on Dallas.
The core of the Cowboys roster has proven themselves to be a formidable team in the regular season. Dak Prescott and Co. have won 12 games in each of the last three seasons, but haven't been able to break through in the postseason.
If the Cowboys are going to make their first conference championship appearance since 1995 then they need as many players to put together great seasons as possible. Unfortunately, every team has at least one player who doesn't live up to the hype.
Whether it's health concerns, age or a poor fit, here are three players who are going to have a hard time living up to expectations this season.
OT Tyler Guyton
1 of 3
This year's draft was loaded with offensive line talent. There were nine offensive linemen taken in the first round alone and Oklahoma tackle Tyler Guyton was the last one at No. 29.
The Cowboys have a solid history of drafting and developing offensive linemen. Guyton is likely to wind up being a solid player, but it's not going to happen without some growing pains.
With Tyron Smith leaving the organization in free agency, there's going to be added pressure for Guyton to not only play but excel. Those expectations need to be tempered.
It's important to keep in mind that Guyton is relatively low on experience. He made just 14 career starts on the offensive line and made a start as an H-Back at TCU before transferring to Oklahoma in 2022.
B/R offensive line scout Brandon Thorn noted that Guyton is, "a young, inexperienced and green tackle prospect with elite physical tools and flashes of dominance that can get him on the field right away." However, he also noted that he will, "need to be brought along slowly in a conservative scheme and veteran O-line room before riding that gap."
The Cowboys offensive line will need to break in two starters. Smith is gone so Guyton or Chuma Edoga could be the blindside protector with Brock Hoffman and Cooper Beebe battling it out at center.
Fans are always going to want to see their first-round picks in the lineup and playing well as a rookie. However, Guyton is switching over to the left side after starting at right tackle for the Sooners and will need to adjust to the demands of NFL blocking before he can thrive.
RB Ezekiel Elliott
2 of 3
This might be a fairly obvious pick to everyone except the Cowboys' front office. There's a good chance that one of the team's major regrets at the end of this campaign was their lack of a plan at running back.
Bringing back Ezekiel Elliott might be a good move for nostalgia, but it's a step back for the roster.
The Cowboys essentially chose Tony Pollard over Elliott last offseason. Pollard was the younger back and appeared to have more tread on the tires. Pollard failed to live up to the hype last season, averaging 3.9 true yards per carry and ranking 37th in yards created per touch, per Player Profiler.
Elliott wasn't any better, though. He averaged 3.5 true yards per carry and was 34th in yards created per touch, per Player Profiler.
Granted, Elliott was playing in a disastrous Patriots offense, but he was playing a secondary role to Rhamondre Stevenson.
The veteran is on track to be the featured back in a committee in Dallas this season. The Cowboys had opportunities to add a back in the draft or sign others in free agency, but opted to sign Elliott.
It's a move that the Cowboys are likely to come to regret as Elliott's days of being a lead back are over heading into his age-29 season.
WR Jalen Tolbert
3 of 3
The hype pieces are already starting to trickle in for Jalen Tolbert before training camp has even started.
Dak Prescott said the wide receiver, "looks like CeeDee Lamb" in a piece by Todd Archer of ESPN. Fellow wide receiver Brandin Cooks was vocal in his support of his teammate as well.
"Whatever the expectation is for him out there, I'm telling you he's going to crush it. He's ready."
Everything seems to be coming up Jalen Tolbert right now. Prescott and Cooks are also doing what good veterans leaders should be doing. They are shining a positive light on their teammate who is working toward getting better.
But there's a long way to go for Tolbert to prove that he can be the reliable receiver he was supposed to be coming out of South Alabama. Supposed to be might be too strong of a phrase in that case.
Tolbert is a victim of lofty expectations. As a rookie, he had every opportunity to grab a role in the offense, but he clearly wasn't ready. He wound up with just two receptions for 12 yards.
This time last year he was once again a popular breakout candidate because of the opportunity in front of him. With Lamb and Cooks set to be the top two receivers, he only had to be better than Michael Gallup to become the team's No. 3.
He fell short of those expectations with just 22 receptions and 268 yards on 36 targets.
The reality is that Tolbert might not be able to outperform his draft slot as a former third-round pick and the Cowboys have other potential breakout candidates, such as sixth-round pick Ryan Flournoy or second-year receiver Jalen Brooks.
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