DALLAS — The Dallas Cowboys will be departing for training camp in a few weeks, blessed with the same elite talent that earned them an NFC East title.
Mike McCarthy’s 2023 team was stacked with nine All-Pros, and eight of those players return for the upcoming season. In addition, cornerback Trevon Diggs will return from an ACL injury that sidelined him last season to give the Cowboys another world class player and one of the best top-end rosters in the league.
However, in the NFL it takes more than just a top-heavy group to compete for a Super Bowl. Winning big requires depth and role players contributing to get where the Cowboys want to go. The team lost some of their more underrated players this offseason and will need some players to step up if they’re going to have a successful 2024 campaign.
Everyone knows how important players like quarterback Dak Prescott and edge rusher Micah Parsons are, but here are five X-factors for the upcoming year that could determine the Cowboys’ fate:
Mazi Smith - Defensive Tackle
The Cowboys selected Smith in the first round of the 2023 draft, but he didn’t live up to expectations as a rookie. Smith was supposed to work his way into the mix and eventually take over for veteran defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins as the starter, but that never happened.
Smith was slow to develop and never found a groove in former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn’s system that asked him to be more of a gap shooter than a space eater. Expect that to change under new DC Mike Zimmer, who will get Smith back to playing a more comfortable scheme, clogging up the middle and pushing the pocket.
Smith’s development will be slowed even further due to offseason shoulder surgery, but the Cowboys need him to make a big jump if they are going to fix their rush defense deficiencies.
Jalen Tolbert - Wide Receiver
The Cowboys offense is one that depends so much on Prescott that any slight dip in quality in his weapons usually spells impending doom. The passing game is in good hands with starting wide receivers CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks, but it still doesn’t have a clear-cut No. 3 option.
Tight end Jake Ferguson is expected to be a big part of the aerial attack, but these days a third and even fourth wideout is needed for an elite offense and Tolbert needs to step up. With veteran WR Michael Gallup now gone, the third-round pick in 2022 Tolbert has no one in front of him to stop him from earning more playing time.
Year three needs to be the time for Tolbert to break out and become the threat that the team drafted him to be. Tolbert will have the opportunity to shine, and the offense needs him to become a quality WR in 2024. If Tolbert takes off, the offense has a better shot at remaining an elite unit. If he doesn’t take that next step, the passing game might falter.
Sam Williams - Edge
Everyone’s favorite candidate to break out – for the second consecutive year – will have the chance to be a consistent pass rushing option for Zimmer’s defense. Williams’ path was somewhat blocked by veteran pass rushers Dante Fowler and Dorance Armstrong, but the former second-round pick should’ve been able to earn his way into a larger role in either of his first two seasons.
That didn’t happen, but now the team expects a big jump from Williams with Fowler and Armstrong departing via free agency. The Cowboys need another pass rusher to step up behind Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence, the latter, who despite being one of the best two-way DEs in the game, hasn’t had more than six sacks in the past three seasons.
Williams needs to take the additional snaps that he’ll receive and turn them into sacks. The 8.5 QB takedowns that he’s tallied in his first two years is a solid number in respect to his playing time, but Williams will need to approach double digits if the Dallas defense is going to continue their high pressure rate under Zimmer.
The Cowboys are desperate for an additional pass rusher to be a consistent threat off the edge and Williams is their best option.
Jake Ferguson - Tight End
Ferguson took over for former Prescott favorite Dalton Schultz in 2023 and they didn’t miss a beat. In his first year as a starter, Ferguson was second on the team in targets, catches, and yards for Prescott. The young TE even found an extra gear late in the year, catching four of his five touchdowns from November on. In the playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers, Ferguson was one of the few offensive players who showed fight with his 10-reception, 93-yard, three score performance.
In the passing game, the pecking order appears to be Lamb first, and Ferguson second. If that continues to be the case, Ferguson will need to improve on his sophomore season and have an even bigger breakout year in 2024. His athletic traits and run after the catch ability seem to point in that direction.
The young TE is fully capable and if Ferguson jumps into Jason Witten rarified air and becomes a perennial 1,000-yard receiver, the passing game will be in good hands. If there isn’t enough of a jump from Ferguson, the offense could stall.
Juanyeh Thomas - Safety
It would be a major breakthrough for Thomas to work his way into the role of contributor on defense this season, but the arrow has been pointing up for the third year player. After working his way onto the team as an undrafted free agent, and making an impact on special teams in 2023, Thomas could make the jump into a key piece on defense.
Zimmer had quality safeties at every stop in the league, working with Darren Woodson and Roy Williams in Dallas, Reggie Nelson with the Cincinnati Bengals, and Harrison Smith with the Minnesota Vikings, so he could continue to help Thomas’ trajectory rise. Starting safeties Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson are a solid duo, but Thomas has the opportunity to become a valuable chess piece for Zimmer.
The league has seen an uptick of utilizing three safeties and Thomas could be one of the keys to improving the defense if a breakout is in the cards. Not every player is going to be a star, but if Thomas can work his way into the rotation as a dependable part of the secondary, it could be a boon for Zimmer in his return with the Cowboys. Thomas could be an ultimate X-factor as a relative unknown who makes a difference.
Which non-star player do you think is most important for the Cowboys in 2024? Share your thoughts with Ben on X (formerly Twitter) @BenGrimaldi.
