DALLAS — It has been five months since the Dallas Cowboys were ousted in the divisional round of the playoffs for a second consecutive year. In a sign that training camp is just around the corner, the team finished up the last of their offseason program with their mandatory minicamp last week.
This won’t be the same Cowboys team who last lined up in January, as there’s been some significant changes and developments for the team. Here’s what the final workouts told us about the Cowboys before the next step begins in Oxnard, Calif. in late July:
Redemption awaits
Everyone loves a good comeback story, and the Cowboys have a few players banking on having better seasons in 2023 than they did last year.
Third-year cornerback Kelvin Joseph tops the list and, after a year filled with legal questions, this appears to be the offseason where it’s starting to click. Joseph has been lining up as the nickel cornerback, as well playing some safety, which is helping him make an impression on coach Mike McCarthy.
The skill set has never been the issue with Joseph, it’s been his maturity and ability to handle the learning curve at the NFL level that has held him back. If the third-year man out Kentucky has turned the corner, he’ll be a valuable part of a deep secondary rotation in Dallas.
In addition, wide receiver Jalen Tolbert is also looking to make a bigger impression in his sophomore season. After a rookie year that began with high expectations, but ended with just two receptions, Tolbert has been working to erase the disappointing campaign. Tolbert’s been putting in the effort to improve and has new veteran receiver Brandin Cooks helping along the way.
“Jalen Tolbert has had an incredible camp,” new offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said. “If you talk to Jalen, what he’s gonna tell you is he has spent a ton of time with Brandin. Here’s a guy who has been there, done that, and he wants to encourage and invest in the younger guys. Those guys spend a lot of time together. What Brandin brings us is way more than just speed. It’s really fun to watch him run, but what I love is the competitor and the way he’s encouraging that entire room of receivers. It’s been awesome.”
The Cowboys do have a need for a fourth wide receiver to lengthen their depth at the position, if Tolbert can reach some of his potential in year two, it’ll go a long way to making the passing game better than it was last season.
The defense has a need at linebacker as well, and if third-year man Jabril Cox can get back to the player he was before his ACL injury during his rookie season, Dallas will have another answer at a questionable position. Cox left his mark in minicamp, excelling at coverage, his best trait coming out in the draft.
During one practice, Cox made back-to-back plays in coverage in the red zone that garnered a lot of attention and praise from the team.
Linebacker looks like the weakest position on the Cowboys, but if Cox can return to the form that had him earning more snaps as a rookie, this could be a scary defense.
If Joseph, Tolbert, and Cox are growing to become what the organization believed they could be, this will be one of the deepest rosters in the league.
Injuries to keep an eye on
It’s a bit too early to be too concerned with injuries that aren’t considered serious, but the team was missing some important pieces during minicamp. Right guard Zack Martin was the biggest name missing in action, sitting out with a soft tissue injury. Martin is one of the best players in the league at any position, so his absence raises some red flags, but the injury isn’t expected to keep him out of training camp.
A bigger concern was tight end Luke Schoonmaker, who missed minicamp because of plantar fasciitis in his foot. The rookie had a protective boot on, which limited most of his activity during the workouts. Foot injuries are never pleasant and they tend to have lingering effects. Those aspects are especially troubling for a first-year player who hasn’t been able to practice.
The hope is that second-round pick Schoonmaker isn’t too far behind the curve and will be ready for camp. Dallas used the No. 58 overall pick on the tight end to help elevate the passing offense, and tight end is one of the toughest positions to make the leap to the NFL, so the Cowboys will want Schoonmaker to be healthy to acclimate at the next level.
Meanwhile, right tackle Terence Steele is still recovering from the torn ACL that he suffered in December, leaving his availability for the start of training camp in question. Without Steele in the mix, the Cowboys’ offensive line is in a little bit of flux. Steele’s inclusion as the starting right tackle when the season begins would help get the five best offensive linemen on the field.
Texas coast offense
As McCarthy takes over the offensive play calling duties, it is expected that he will integrate more west coast offense principles than the offense had under previous offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. Even though the Cowboys will continue with much of what has made them so successful as an offense over the past few seasons, McCarthy is adding some new concepts to combine both schemes, and the quarterbacks have named it the Texas coast offense.
Quarterback Dak Prescott calling it an offense that we’ve never seen before certainly adds intrigue, and it helps that he’s now gotten another weapon in the passing game when the team traded for a veteran wide receiver in Cooks. Observers say it was evident in minicamp that Cooks’ speed brings an element to the offense that it hasn’t had in a long time. There were some big plays from Prescott to Cooks, including a 60-yard bomb that went for a score.
The excitement is building for this new offense that also includes a new starting running back with Tony Pollard stepping into the top ball carrier role after the departure of Ezekiel Elliott. Cowboys fans will get to see glimpses of this new fangled scheme when training camp opens up later next month.
Do you think the Cowboys will reclaim the NFC East crown in 2023? Share your thoughts with Ben on Twitter @BenGrimaldi.
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