3 biggest post-preseason concerns for the Dallas Cowboys
By Tyrone Starr
Mercifully the 2021 preseason is over the Dallas Cowboys. After playing four games, almost all of which did not include any big-name players, Dallas ends this portion of their campaign without a win.
Now, winning is not all that important, although it is still nice to experience. The biggest takeaway from any preseason will always be avoiding any major injuries. For the Dallas Cowboys, the most prominent injury was sustained by defensive tackle Neville Gallimore.
Thankfully, he should return sometime in mid-to-late October so, all things considered, that is a win for this team. Beyond that, the expansive amount of time missed by the stars on this team serves as one of the few bright spots as it (hopefully) guarantees all will be ready Thursday night in Tampa.
Still, labeling these four games as hard to watch feels like quite the understatement. Yes, a few players (namely linebacker Micah Parsons) had a great preseason but a lot of guys left more questions than answers for this coaching staff as it pertains to the final 53-man roster.
With the games counting for real in less than ten days, here are the three biggest post-preseason concerns I have with the 2021 Dallas Cowboys.
The offensive line
We saw last year what happens when this unit experiences injuries. It was not pleasant. As the regular season nears, right tackle La’el Collins is dealing with a stinger which will require monitoring and managing. Not good.
Aside from Collins, left tackle Tyron Smith and guard Zack Martin seem ready to rumble. That’s great news which, hopefully, translates into all sixteen games. The final two probable starters, guard Connor Williams and center Tyler Biadasz also appear to be ready.
Beyond that, however, this preseason really showed that depth, specifically at tackle, should scare any fan. Ty Nsekhe, Brandon Knight, and Terence Steele did not do anything to inspire trust or really even cement a roster spot. Sure, at least two of them will make the final 53 but you can bet that the Dallas Cowboys are going to scour the waiver wire for help here.