Which Cowboys undrafted rookie has the best chance to start Week 1?

The Dallas Cowboys continue to strike it rich when it comes to finding undrafted free agents with the potential to have an immediate impact on the team. This season falls in line with that streak as the Cowboys were able to sign a number of talented players that some believed could have been drafted but slipped through the cracks.

America’s Team scored with players like center Alec Lindstrom out of Boston College, who some saw going in the fourth round of the draft and will be battling for the starting spot at center. They also added safety Markquese Bell out of Florida A&M who has already been making noise in OTAs and will battle for time at safety. The same goes for cornerback Isaac Taylor-Stuart, a player who the Cowboys have been lining up all over the secondary and is in the mix at cornerback.

Undrafted free agent kicker Jonathan Garibay may have the best chance of starting for the Cowboys in Week 1

Despite the talent of the above players, the reality is that the cornerback, safety, and center positions all currently have veterans in those roles. That’s why the one player who likely has the best chance of starting Week 1 is Texas Tech kicker Jonathan Garibay. The Cowboys currently do not have any other kicking options and Garibay’s college stats were far more impressive than some of the available free-agent options.

The Cowboys, at one point, did have two kickers on the roster that were going to fight for the role, but that all changed when Dallas released Chris Naggar back in May clearing the way for Garibay to win the starting role at kicker. There is a chance that the Cowboys do pick Naggar back up. The team stated that he was cut to make room on the roster. But, in all seriousness, people probably have more faith in Garibay than they would in Naggar. Naggar has incredibly minimal NFL experience and found it hard to stay on any roster.

As long as Garibay can stay healthy through camps and preseason games, he should have this job locked up. That doesn’t mean Dallas won’t bring in another kicker if they see him start missing a few kicks leading into the season, but right now he’s the best option for the Cowboys’ group of undrafted free agents that could start Week 1. Again, the key for Garibay will be to stay healthy and make his kicks going forward. Right now, it’s his job to lose.