Predicting the Dallas Cowboys' Starting Lineup After the 1st Wave of Free Agency

The first wave of free agency is over, and we can slowly see the Dallas Cowboys' roster start to take shape. Fans and analysts alike are starting to see the direction the Cowboys front office is trying to take the roster. 

For the most part, the players who will start for the Cowboys this year are already on the roster, save for a draft pick or two and maybe another free-agent acquisition. 

On offense, it appears as though the starting lineup will look almost identical to what it looked like last year; however, there appears to be more significant changes on defense. 

With that being said, let's take an early look at who may be the Cowboys starters for the 2015 season.

Quarterback

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Tony Romo

No surprise here, but Tony Romo will be the Cowboys' starting quarterback, barring some significant injury. 

Romo is coming off one of his best seasons of his career as he led the Cowboys to a 12-4 record while throwing for 3,705 yards and 34 touchdowns with only nine interceptions. Romo was masterful for the majority of last season as he showed a ton of leadership and poise through all the trials and tribulations. 

Romo is unquestionably the best quarterback in the NFC East, which means the Cowboys have an advantage over each of their rivals at the most crucial position on the field.

Now, there will have to be some concern over Romo's back throughout the season, but if he manages it well like he did down the stretch last year, there is no reason he can't put together another stellar campaign. 

Running Back/Fullback

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RB: Darren McFadden

FB: Jed Collins

The race for the starting running back spot is currently between Darren McFadden, Joseph Randle and Ryan Williams, while Lance Dunbar has the inside track for the change-of-pace running back spot, and it should be a tight race. A running back will likely be drafted and added into the mix as well, but for now let's just talk about the current trio on the roster.

Randle showed that he could be a dynamic running back in certain situations. He has excellent lateral agility to sidestep tacklers and a fantastic initial burst to hit creases. Nevertheless, with his myriad of off-field issues, how can you trust him right now? Furthermore, he isn't the best in pass protection, which the Cowboys covet in a starting running back. 

Williams is the true wild card here as he was an incredible talent coming out of Virginia Tech, but he has been hampered by injuries since entering the NFL. Williams is an extremely passionate player who plays with a great deal of power to go along with great vision. However, with his injury history and lack of NFL production, he will have to really convince the coaching staff to give him the starting job. 

Even though he was just signed, McFadden has to be the favorite at the moment. He is a complete running back who can make an impact in pass protection, as a receiver out of the backfield and as a pure running back. He has had some issues in zone-blocking schemes in the past, but behind this offensive line, it would be hard for him to fail, which is why he looks like the favorite to win the starting job. 

At the fullback position, it appears as though it will be a battle between Jed Collins and Ray Agnew. It is hard to predict this one as both have similar talent levels. The difference could be who plays better on special teams, which should give Collins the edge.

Wide Receiver

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Dez Bryant, Terrance Williams

Like most of the offensive positions, the starting wide receivers should be the same as they were in 2014. Dez Bryant is one of, if not, the best NFL wide receiver. He has elite body control and the ability to win at the catch point. 

If Bryant continues to get better at running the full route tree, he could become one of the best NFL players regardless of position. 

Terrance Williams had an up-and-down 2014 season as he showed some great glimpses to go along with some subpar performances. What he does possess is very good long speed and a solid understanding of how to run the full route tree. Williams made a lot of huge catches for the Cowboys, and hopefully that will continue in 2015. 

Williams and Bryant form a great duo of receivers, and the rest of the Dallas offense should prosper because of it.

Tight End

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Jason Witten

One of the constants for the Cowboys over the last decade has been Jason Witten. He has been a leader and a productive player, no matter what situation the Cowboys find themselves in. 

While Witten saw his production dip last year, he more than made up for it in areas that aren't recorded on a stat sheet. He was a fantastic blocker and was almost as responsible for the Cowboys' stellar running game as any of the other offensive linemen. 

Witten is still Romo's security blanket on third downs and in clutch situations. He is an extremely savvy route runner who can always be counted on. 

Witten may go down as one of the most complete tight ends of all time, and Cowboys fans are lucky to have witnessed his work over his incredible career.

Offensive Line

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Tackles: Tyron Smith, Doug Free

Guards: Zack Martin, Ronald Leary

Center: Travis Frederick

The best unit on the entire team and possibly the one most responsible for the Cowboys' success was the offensive line. Because of this, the Dallas front office made the wise choice to keep the starting unit intact for 2015. 

Tyron Smith is one of the best NFL offensive tackles, and he is just 24 years old. He's incredibly technically sound, and his athleticism allows him to make blocks that 99 percent of other tackles couldn't even dream of. 

Doug Free is a very good right tackle and the unquestioned leader of the offensive line. When he plays balanced, he is a handful for even the best NFL defensive ends. Furthermore, he is a fantastic run-blocker who creates a great deal of movement at the point of attack. 

Zack Martin was one of the most impressive rookies in the entire NFL last year as he stepped in right away and played at an elite level throughout the season. Martin seamlessly intertwines athleticism and technical savvy that is years beyond what a rookie should have. 

Travis Frederick continued his development from his great rookie year to become a top-five NFL center in 2014. This year, he should take another step as he continues to improve in pass protection. 

Ronald Leary is a solid guard who showed some glimpses of greatness. He had one of his best games against the NFL's best player, J.J. Watt, but he also was dominated by Fletcher Cox playing against the Philadelphia Eagles. While Leary isn't great, the fact that he is the worst player on the offensive line shows how great the unit really is as a whole.

Defensive Line

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Defensive Ends: Greg Hardy, DeMarcus Lawrence

Defensive Tackles: Terrell McClain, Tyrone Crawford

A week ago, this unit appeared to be the weakest on the entire team; however, on Thursday, defensive end Greg Hardy signed with the Cowboys, per ESPN's Adam Schefter, and it totally changed the defensive line's outlook as a whole. 

Hardy is an elite talent at defensive end, and he significantly upgrades the Cowboys' pass rush. For all the accolades he gets as a pass-rusher, he is a very good run defender as well. Hardy is arguably one of the five best edge defenders in the NFL today. He requires a ton of attention from opposing offenses, and he will make the rest of the players around him better. 

One player who will benefit greatly from the addition of Hardy is DeMarcus Lawrence. Even though he was injured for much of last season, Lawrence really came on strong at the end of last season. Lawrence has a huge repertoire of moves in his pass-rush arsenal, and he will likely take another step in his development this year. 

The player who carried the defensive line for most of last season was Tyrone Crawford. He began the season as a defensive end, but once he moved inside to the under tackle position, he really began to flourish. Crawford plays with great leverage, surprising quickness and fantastic hand usage. Hopefully, those around the NFL will start to give Crawford the credit he deserves this year. 

Terrell McClain has a great opportunity to seize the starting 1-technique defensive tackle position this year as his only real competition is Nick Hayden and possibly a draft pick. He gives the Cowboys an ability to rush the passer that Hayden can't provide because of his limited athleticism. He needs to become more consistent with his hand usage, but he can be a solid starter in Dallas' interior defensive line.

Linebacker

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Sean Lee, Rolando McClain, Anthony Hitchens

As it stands right now, the linebacker position is still in a state of flux. Rolando McClain is still a free agent, and because of that, it is hard to slate which trio will be starters. 

Nevertheless, the Cowboys should be able to re-sign McClain because this is the only team that will likely invest any real money in him. While McClain was great when he played, he still had a myriad of injury issues; there are still questions about his character and love of the game, which should scare other teams off. 

If McClain isn't here, Jasper Brinkley will likely take his spot at the starting "Mike" linebacker spot. 

One aspect that looks clear is that Dallas wants Sean Lee to play at the "Will" linebacker in 2015. The reason is that it will lessen the wear and tear on Lee's body and allow him to roam freely and utilize his incredible instincts to make plays on the ball. 

The "Sam" linebacker position is the one with the most question marks. The Cowboys don't have a player who really excels at the position. Nevertheless, they will likely put their best player available there, even if that's not his best position, and that player is Anthony Hitchens. 

Hitchens was the Cowboys' Swiss army knife last season as he played all the three linebacker positions throughout the season. Hopefully, he will get a chance to home in on one position the entire year and see how good he can be when he has a singular focus.

Secondary

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Cornerbacks: Orlando Scandrick, Brandon Carr

Safeties: J.J. Wilcox, Barry Church

One unit that really overachieved last season was the secondary. Despite a poor pass rush, the secondary consistently did a good job throughout the season. 

The leader of that group was Orlando Scandrick who proved that he is beginning to enter the group of upper-echelon NFL cornerbacks. This year, Scandrick will likely play more on the outside and play the opposing team's No. 1 wide receiver on a more consistent basis. 

Cowboys fans may not like it, but Brandon Carr will probably take a pay cut, like Doug Free did a couple of years ago, and remain on the Cowboys roster in 2015. For as much as he gets criticized, Carr isn't a bad cornerback; he just isn't as good as his contract says he could be. Carr is at his best when he is in press-man coverage, and he can be physical with opposing receivers. 

Barry Church had another good campaign in 2014, as he was a very good defender in the box, while he showed improved coverage ability. Opposite of him, Wilcox showed constant progression throughout the season as he began to trust his eyes and allow his athleticism to take over. He still gets too wild at times, but there should be a lot of optimism about him going forward in 2015.

Special Teams

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Kicker: Dan Bailey

Punter: Chris Jones

Long Snapper: L.P. Ladouceur

Once again, there are no surprises here as the Cowboys carry over their starters from 2014. Dan Bailey is one of the best NFL kickers, and he should continue to play at that level in 2015. 

Chris Jones isn't a great punter, but his value as Bailey's holder is enough for the Cowboys to stomach his inconsistencies as a punter. 

L.P. Ladouceur could be the best long snapper in the NFL as he rarely, if ever, makes a mistake with his snaps. 

The Cowboys have to feel good about their special teams personnel heading into 2015.