DALLAS — You can count Dallas Cowboys returner KaVontae Turpin as a big success from the second week of preseason action.
According to Cody Benjamin from CBS Sports, the former TCU product was one of his "winners" from Week 2 of the preseason as the 2022 USFL MVP returned a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown in the 32-18 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers Aug. 20 at SoFi Stadium.
"The Cowboys already had premium offensive weaponry in CeeDee Lamb, Dalton Schultz and Tony Pollard," writes Benjamin. "But they might have to find a way to include Turpin as well, after the minor-league veteran and recent USFL star logged not one but two return touchdowns in Dallas' win over the Chargers. Even if just as a kick or punt returner, he probably locked up a roster spot."
Even though it was merely an exhibition game between two squads with players fighting to stay in the NFL, let alone on their current rosters, Turpin's big night is relevant. Although special teams units in the preseason aren't scheming coverages and the personnel involved are on the roster bubble, if Turpin wasn't able to have monster gains with those favorable conditions, it would indicate he was just another returner.
The Cowboys have significant plans for Turpin, and they involve taking kickoff return duties away from running back Tony Pollard and punt returns from receiver CeeDee Lamb. If the Cowboys can have one guy fill both of those roles, Pollard and Lamb won’t have to worry about an extra burden while seeing extended playing time on offense.
Turpin also demonstrated that he can take care of the football and play the field position game, which is arguably more vital to a special teams unit than the ability to return a kick. It wasn’t as thrilling but Turpin fair-caught a punt at the 16-yard line with 6:56 to go in the second quarter.
Even though a holding penalty on the fair catch backed Dallas up to the 8-yard line, Turpin demonstrated the ability to take the yards rather than allow the ball to bounce and give the Chargers a chance to pin Dallas deep.
“Punt returner, kickoff, whatever the Cowboys need me to do, I’m here for it," Turpin told reporters on July 27 at training camp in Oxnard, Calif.
Turpin is excelling in his role as returner, just as he was brought in to do. If Turpin is able to carry over his instinct to protect the ball, secure the yardage, but bust a return for a huge gain, then the Cowboys won't miss a beat with Lamb and Pollard focusing on playing offensive snaps.
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