Depleted Depth: Can Cowboys Survive Starters Injuries?
The Dallas Cowboys have star power everywhere on the roster.
The offensive line boasts All-Pro left tackle Tyron Smith and All-Pro right guard Zack Martin. The defense boasts All-Pro cornerback Trevon Diggs and Defensive Player of the Year runner-up Micah Parsons at linebacker. Then there's Pro Bowl quarterback Dak Prescott, Pro Bowl receiver CeeDee Lamb and Pro Bowl running back Ezekiel Elliott at the skill positions on offense.
Anybody who tries to question the top of Dallas' roster would have a hard time making an intellectually honest argument. On the contrary, this isn't a team built to lose any of those players.
Michael Gallup, the team's No. 2 receiver, is expected to miss games at the start of the season, leaving a rookie in receiver Jalen Tolbert and an inconsistent talent in receiver James Washington to produce across from Lamb. On the offensive line, the only viable swing tackles if Smith were to suffer an injury are Josh Ball and Matt Waletzko, with rookie Tyler Smith possibly able to kick outside. Ball and Waletzko aren't exactly household names, while Smith struggled with holding penalties while playing tackle at Tulsa.
On the defensive line, the primary backup edge rusher (if we aren't counting Parsons), is defensive end Dorance Armstrong. While Armstrong excelled last season, he's still unproven. Behind Lawrence and Armstrong is Dante Fowler Jr., who has struggled to be consistent as well, and a bunch of young guys.
Dallas failed to pair a proven linebacker talent with Parsons either while also not addressing tight end depth, a position group which sorely needs it in Dallas. With these depth concerns on the roster, injuries could prove catastrophic. To make things worse, this is a roster who has seen its fair share of injuries.
Projected starters who have sustained season-ending injuries since 2020
- LB Jabril Cox
- WR Michael Gallup
- DT Trysten Hill
- FS Malik Hooker
- QB Dak Prescott
- LT Tyron Smith
There's no reason to believe Prescott's injury should be a recurring issue, but Hooker, Smith and Gallup have all had prolonged and repeated injury concerns. Health can often be the good or bad luck that decides Super Bowl winning teams. Dallas fans all just need to hope that luck is on their side this season. In the end, injuries have a fair chance of being the death sentence for this team.
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