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.
Reserve/COVID List
Five players are currently on the COVID-19 reserve list. Three of them are starters. One (receiver CeeDee Lamb) is expected to be a major contributor to the success of this team.
While head coach Mike McCarthy did indicate that all should be good to go by Thursday, it’s more than disappointing that we’re even having this conversation. This has nothing to do with politics. Frankly, health and public safety really never should. This is more about the mentality of a locker room at any and every level of sports.
Don’t want to get the vaccine? I mean, it’s certainly not ideal but it is your right. Even without the vaccine, there are many protocols and situations where you can do a lot to avoid this virus.
If that’s the route you want to go, you owe it to the rest of your teammates to be present and available. No other sport relies upon trusting the person next to you more than football. For this many players to already be sidelined unnecessarily is disheartening.
If anyone else misses games when it actually matters and losses occur because of it, there could be a fracturing of the locker room which is the most slippery slope to a lost season. Hopefully, this is just a blip on the radar but time will tell.
The pass rush
Yes, I’m aware that optimism is at its usual high for the future of defensive end Randy Gregory. If we’re being all the way honest though, there is no real reason to feel that way.
Gregory has never had more than six sacks in a season and has just 10.5 in 38 games. This preseason, he’s had very good practices but played exactly zero snaps in any game. Did he earn this treatment or are the Dallas Cowboys very aware that they are thin when it comes to guys who can get after the opposing quarterback?
DeMarcus Lawrence is coming off of back surgery and just very recently was even activated. His practice time has almost completely consisted of working himself into football shape. Fellow end Dorance Armstrong has had a breakout camp but, again, has yet to really show out when the games count.
Beyond those three, pressure will need to be manufactured either by blitzing or a lot of different guys will all need to chip in from various spots. While there is a new regime defensively, history says that pressuring the quarterback has never really been a strong suit for this team in the last five years.
In a perfect world, the starting offensive line will stay intact and not miss a game. No other players will contract the coronavirus and Lawrence, Gregory, and Armstrong will collectively put up 25+ sacks. As we all know, however, it’s rare that things consistently break right for the Dallas Cowboys. Fingers crossed, these issues are non-issues and we can all have a great 2021.