Dallas Cowboys Who've Turned Heads in Offseason Workouts
The Dallas Cowboys' offseason workouts are in full swing, which means the coaching staff and media are getting their first real look at the team that will take the field once the 2015 NFL season begins.
It's still entirely too early to make definitive judgments, but it is always a good sign when certain players are practicing well. Just like every other year, there are players who will practice extremely well but don't carry it over to when the pads come on in training camp.
At this point in the process, the Cowboys are just installing the base of their playbook and working on the fundamental techniques, which make it hard to get an accurate representation of how everyone is doing.
With that being said, we are going to take a look at which players are prospering thus far in the offseason workouts.
Lucky Whitehead
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The Cowboys need to find a player who can replace Dwayne Harris as the No. 5 wide receiver and designated return man; it looks like Lucky Whitehead may be the man for the job.
DallasCowboys.com's Bryan Broaddus believes Whitehead will get a lot of opportunities to take the job:
"Get ready to see plenty of Lucky Whitehead in the second half of preseason games this season in the slot receiver role. For the second practice in a row, Scott Linehan put Whitehead on the field and threw him a screen pass to take advantage of his explosive burst. Whitehead is doing his best Cole Beasley impression when it comes to running routes and finding space in the defense.
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Whitehead is an interesting option because he does bring impressive return abilities to the table. Is he the most polished receiver who can win at all three levels of a defense? No, but he does have the ability to fill the short and screen games.
Whitehead has a leg up on some of the competition because of his dynamic return abilities, which will be the No. 5 wide receiver's primary role on the team. However, if Whitehead can prove he has upside as a receiver, he will improve his chances of making the team tenfold.
Whitehead's primary competition will be George Farmer, Antwan Goodley and A.J. Jenkins. Farmer has an impressive size and speed combination, but Whitehead's special teams ability could give him a leg up on Farmer.
Antwan Goodley has similar special teams ability, but Whitehead is a much more reliable receiver than Goodley. Jenkins is probably the hardest player for Whitehead to beat out, but Jenkins' track record in the NFL isn't very good.
If Whitehead continues to turn heads, he may make the 53-man roster after training camp has culminated.
Randy Gregory
2 of 5
It is extremely hard to judge how offensive and defensive linemen are doing without pads on, as it is difficult to battle at the point of attack without pads. Nevertheless, it appears as though Randy Gregory has been a big standout early in the offseason workouts.
The Dallas Morning News' Jon Machota has been particularly impressed with Gregory, writing, "He looks great without pads on. He's very quick and athletic. And those two attributes look great when no one is wearing pads."
One of the biggest worries when projecting Gregory to the NFL is how he will hold up at the point of attack against NFL offensive linemen, and without pads, that knock still hasn't been tested. However, the fact that Gregory is standing out is a great thing.
Any reps Gregory can get against Tyron Smith—one of the best offensive tackles in the NFL—is great, whether it is with pads or not. It allows Gregory to get used to the quickness and agility that offensive tackles play with in the NFL.
Gregory will make this team no matter what, but it is still to be determined as to how productive he can be. Rookie pass-rushers don't typically produce at a high level, but Gregory's athleticism and natural pass-rushing ability could make him an exception.
Furthermore, the fact that he will be lining up against Smith every day at practice will only help Gregory get more prepared for playing time this season.
Byron Jones
3 of 5
As the Cowboys' first-round pick, Byron Jones has to deal with lofty expectations entering his rookie year. Luckily for the Cowboys, Jones has yet to disappoint early on during the offseason workouts.
DallasCowboys.com's Bryan Broaddus stated that Jones has been impressive with his technique thus far:
"Byron Jones didn’t get any work at safety, but he did see some snaps at both left and right corner and he played out of the slot as well -- which this was something I didn’t see him do while in college. In his work against Cole Beasley in the slot, he was right where it needed to be technique-wise.
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Everyone knows that Jones is an athletic freak, but not a lot of people know how technically sound Jones is. He has shown the ability to play with extremely nuanced technique, especially in press-man coverage.
Jones will likely get some time at free safety this offseason as the Cowboys try to find a way to maximize the talents of their rookie defensive back. Jones would have to beat out J.J. Wilcox, who has been steadily improving ever since he entered the league a couple of years ago.
At cornerback, Jones would likely compete with Morris Claiborne for the No. 2 or 3 cornerback position, depending on what happens with Brandon Carr's contract.
What has become abundantly clear is that the Cowboys want to find a way to get Jones on the field as much as possible. Don't be surprised if Jones is a starter at free safety or cornerback before the season is over.
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Ryan Williams
4 of 5
The most anticipated position battle in training camp will be at running back, as the Cowboys try to replace the production that departed with DeMarco Murray.
The dark horse to win the starting running back job is Ryan Williams, even though he is probably the most talented running back on the roster. DallasCowboys.com's Bryan Broaddus said Williams has caught his eye early on in the offseason workouts:
"Williams did not practice on Tuesday, but he took full advantage of the snaps he got on Wednesday. Williams’ best trait is his ability to explode, and he was able to display that for all to see. What I have learned about watching him play is that it doesn’t take much to get him in the open field and into the second level. He was impressive.
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Williams hasn't been able to stay healthy since he entered the NFL in 2011, but you can't deny the type of talent he is as a running back. He has the vision, explosiveness and one-cut ability to be a special back in the Cowboys' zone scheme.
He needs to improve a lot as a blocker and as a receiver out of the backfield, but as a pure runner, Williams is remarkable.
In the Cowboys' zone scheme, you need a running back who can read his keys, be patient and explode through the line of scrimmage. Williams is the only running back on the roster with all three of those traits.
Darren McFadden lacks the patience and one-cut ability to truly fit in the offense. Joseph Randle doesn't have the explosiveness Williams provides, and Lance Dunbar doesn't have the vision or power Williams gives the Cowboys.
Williams still may not win the job despite his talent, but he could be a good long shot to make the team and possibly work into a huge role toward the second half of the season.
Lance Dunbar
5 of 5
Lance Dunbar probably won't win the starting job for the Cowboys, but he may carve out a niche in this offense, much like Cole Beasley. Dunbar can take on the role of a sort of gadget player or third-down running back for the Cowboys this year.
ESPN.com's Todd Archer believes this could be the year Dunbar realizes his potential:
"If they handed out MVP of the day trophies, then it would have gone to running back Lance Dunbar. He caught four passes from Tony Romo in the two-minute drill work to close the first-team’s work in practice and had the linebackers on skates in seven-on-seven drills. Perhaps this really is the year the Cowboys use Dunbar more.
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Dunbar is a fast and agile running back who thrives when he gets the ball in space. He has been extremely valuable on special teams and in the screen game for the Cowboys thus far in his short career; however, this could be the year his role expands to much more than that.
Dunbar could be a great change-of-pace running back for the Cowboys, and he could allow the Cowboys to be flexible with their personnel.
Any time Dunbar touches the ball, he can take it to the house—that is valuable to an offense that lacks those types of big-play threats. It really comes down to how creative offensive coordinator Scott Linehan wants to be with his play-calling.
Dunbar is an interesting player who could prove to be an important niche player for the Cowboys in the season. The fact that the Cowboys have used him so much in the offseason workouts is a great indication that they have big plans for him in the 2015 season.
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