With the NFL Draft in the rearview mirror, we are getting closer to the 2024 NFL season which will be an important one for the Dallas Cowboys. Here are the five biggest storylines for the Cowboys ahead of the 2024 campaign.
Biggest Storylines for the 2024 Dallas Cowboys
5) Is the Running Game Good enough?
This offseason, the Cowboys let Tony Pollard walk, as he landed with the Tennessee Titans on a multi-year deal. They addressed the position by signing Royce Freeman and reuniting with Ezekiel Elliott and Rico Dowdle to form a running back by committee. The Cowboys are a team with a rich history of running backs. They have employed the likes of Emmitt Smith, Tony Dorsett, Herschel Walker, DeMarco Murray, and the aforementioned Elliott.
If the Cowboys want to be successful in 2024, they have to get the running game going. The improved offensive line depth will certainly help their cause, however, there is much more to the equation. Whether or not this current committee is good enough is still to be determined.
4) Is Mike McCarthy’s Future in Doubt?
Mike McCarthy enters his fifth season with the Dallas Cowboys with an expiring contract and an uncertain future. Despite three consecutive 12-win seasons, McCarthy is on the hot seat thanks in large part to the team’s lack of playoff success. The Cowboys have won just one playoff game in three appearances under his watch which has led to a lot of scrutiny of the veteran head coach.
If the Cowboys fail to make a postseason run in 2024, look for them to reach out to the likes of Bill Belichick and current defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer to take the reigns in Dallas.
3) Can the Cowboys Stop the Run?
A big problem that has plagued the Cowboys’ defense for the past several seasons is their inability to stop the run. They have tried to address this concern with the addition of Johnathan Hankins in 2022 and Mazi Smith in 2023 but so far these acquisitions have been enough. Now with Hankins gone, and Smith, Osa Odighizuwa, and Justin Rogers leading the pack, it is vital to the team’s success that they improve in the run game. The Cowboys have also addressed the linebacking core with Eric Kendricks and Marist Liufau and both of these players will have to step up and play a role in helping the team become a better all-around unit.
2) How Will the Offensive Line Look?
As we mentioned earlier, the Cowboys have addressed the offensive line in a big way. They drafted Tyler Guyton with the 29th pick and went on to add Cooper Beebe, and Nathan Thomas as the draft went on. Guyton, at 6’8 330 pounds, figures to be a prominent fixture on the left side of the line with Tyler Smith for years to come. Guyton played right tackle in college and it is still to be determined if he will be penciled in at the start of the season as the team’s starting LT. Cooper Beebe is a physical lineman who has the ability to play all five positions on the offensive line. Despite not playing center in college, he has the potential to take over the position following the departure of Tyler Biadasz.
Beebe worked on learning the position during the draft and has said he is willing to compete for the starting job. Both Beebe and Guyton’s exact position in 2024 is to be determined based on their progress this offseason. If Guyton can learn the left tackle position and Beebe is comfortable at center it would leave the Cowboys with a lineup of Guyton, Smith, Beebe, Zack Martin, and Terrence Steele from left to right. The Cowboys have flexibility as they have T.J. Bass, Brock Hoffman, and Chuma Edoga waiting in the wings if they are needed to step up. How the Cowboys’ offensive line shakes up will be very important to the makeup of this team in 2024.
1) Will the Cowboys Biggest stars Get Extended?
The Cowboys are playing a risky game ahead of the 2024 season with the futures of Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Micah Parsons all up in the air. Prescott and Lamb are scheduled to become free agents after this season while Parsons is under contract through 2025 after his fifth year option was picked up. Jerry Jones has a lot of important decisions to make that will impact the long-term future of this team. Prescott and Lamb had career years in 2024, however, both players have shouldered a lot of the blame for the team’s early exit. Parsons has been subject to criticism as well due to his ineffectiveness in the postseason.
In recent seasons, the Cowboys have been unable to get extensions done due to cap restrictions, however, they have a lot of money freed up after this season. Whether or not they resign these players depends on the market demand and their performance in 2024.
The 2024 season will have huge ramifications for the future of the Dallas Cowboys. With four months to go until the start of the next campaign, there are plenty of questions on how things will shake up for America’s Team. 2024 will be 28 years since the Cowboys’ last Super Bowl run and time will tell if they can end their infamous championship drought.
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