Ranking Cowboys' 4 Most Important Position Battles to Watch at OTAs

In less than one week, the Dallas Cowboys will begin their voluntary OTAs with the team meeting on June 1 to kick off those practices. Mandatory minicamp follows, going from June 16-20.

A month-long break will follow, with training camp expected to begin in late July. Once that kicks off, position battles will begin to come into focus. For the players, however, their chance to prove they deserve a spot will start during OTAs. That said, here are the four most important showdowns to keep an eye on.

QB2: Joe Milton III vs. Sam Howell

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Joe Milton III drops back to pass during the third quarter against the New York Giants. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Joe Milton was added in a trade with the New England Patriots in 2025 and brought plenty of excitement. His strong arm and unreal athleticism for his size made him a fan-favorite. Once he was on the field, we saw that he has a lot to work on, with the ability to throw with more touch standing out as the primary concern.

This year, head coach Brian Schottenheimer confirmed that the QB2 spot is up for grabs as Milton has to fight off free agent signing Sam Howell. While Howell doesn't have the same athleticism or arm talent that Milton possesses, he's far more experienced. If he proves capable of playing the point guard role, the Cowboys might want to roll with him as the backup to Dak Prescott.

RB2: Malik Davis vs. Jaydon Blue

Dallas Cowboys running back Malik Davis celebrates after running for a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Entering the 2025 season, Miles Sanders was poised to be the No. 2 back behind Javonte Williams and he had a solid start before suffering a season-ending injury. That should have opened the door for Jaydon Blue, but the rookie never earned the coaching staff's trust.

That allowed Malik Davis to come out of nowhere and steal the job. This year, Davis and Blue are again the primary options behind Williams and while Davis proved he can be relied upon, Blue is the more explosive player. The Cowboys would love to see him take that job, but holding off Davis won't be easy after he averaged 4.8 yards per attempt this past season.

EDGE: Donovan Ezeiruaku vs. Malachi Lawrence

Dallas Cowboys OLB Malachi Lawrence goes through a drill during practice at the Ford Center at the Star Training Facility. | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Donovan Ezeiruaku is poised for a larger role in 2026, even being named a potential breakout star. Even so, the second-year EDGE has some competition on his hands. Dallas used their second of two picks in Round 1 on Malachi Lawrence, who has the tools to be a force on the edge for years to come.

There will be room for both players in the rotation, but Ezeiruaku isn't guaranteed the starting spot across from Rashan Gary. That makes this a fun, and incredibly important battle to watch.

Cornerback: Shavon Revel Jr. vs. Cobie Durant

Los Angeles Rams cornerback Cobie Durant recovers a fumble against the Seattle Seahawks. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Shavon Revel Jr. was a third-round pick in 2025 but his talent suggested he should have gone much higher. The reason for his slide was a torn ACL suffered at the end of his career and the Cowboys knew he wouldn't offer much as a rookie.

They were able to get him on the field for seven games, with five starts, but the results weren't great. He was the lowest-rated cornerback out of 114 qualified players, according to PFF, with a 35.2 overall.

Revel has a fan in defensive coordinator Christian Parker, but he has to deliver. If not, he could miss his opportunity due to the presence of Cobie Durant. An underrated offseason signing, Durant earned a PFF grade of 66.7 overall, which was 39th at the position. He also recorded three interceptions in the regular season and three more in the playoffs. Durant is undersized, but has supreme confidence and won't quietly sit behind anyone.

— Sign up for the Cowboys Daily Digest newsletter for more free coverage from Dallas Cowboys on SI —

Add us as a preferred source on Google