The long and boring portion of the NFL offseason is among us as we wait for teams to report for training camp. For the Dallas Cowboys, they head to Oxnard, CA on July 26 to get things started.
Once there, the Cowboys will begin to work toward getting back on top of the NFC East. While that's the team goal, there will be some individual goals as well. For these three players, that could be as simple as trying to improve their falling stock.
3. Kelvin Joseph, CB
The Cowboys front office deserves credit for the way they've drafted over the past several years. Sure, they have had the occasional miss — see Taco Charlton and Trysten Hill — but they've also hit some home runs — see CeeDee Lamb, Dak Prescott, and Trevon Diggs.
While that's true, the misses seem to really sting especially when it's a player they were expecting to fill a major role.
That's the case with Kelvin Joseph, who Dallas wanted to pair with Diggs. The Kentucky product was taken in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft and after two seasons, he's been a disappointment.
Joseph earned a 49.2 grade from PFF in his second season which is very alarming. Dallas was fortunate enough to land Stephon Gilmore in a trade with the Colts but he's a short-term fix given his age.
This season is likely the last opportunity for Joseph to prove he belongs and with his stock at an all-time low, there aren;t likely many people buying right now.
2. Dorance Armstrong, DE
When a player sees his stock fall, it's not always due to a lack of production on their part. For example, Dorance Armstrong just had the best season of his career but has hardly been discussed when looking ahead to the 2023 season.
Armstrong, a fourth-round pick in 2018, has improved each season he's been in the league. After posting 37 tackles and five sacks, he hit free agency and Dallas brought him back on a team-friendly two-year deal. Stephen Jones even took heat when he tried to say the Cowboys would be able to lean on Armstrong after losing Randy Gregory, saying he was "right there" with Gregory.
Jones was proven correct as Gregory missed the majority of the season for Denver and had 12 tackles with two sacks in six games. Armstrong, on the other hand, appeared in all 17 games and had 33 tackles and 8.5 sacks — which was second on the team.
The problem is, Armstrong slowed down at the end of the year so his strong performance isn't as easy to remember. He recorded eight sacks in the first 12 weeks and then just 0.5 in the final six.
In addition to his slow finish (at least when it comes to sacks), Sam Williams began to show more promise. There's also the presence of Dante Fowler, Jr. who recorded 22 tackles and six sacks.
With all the big names, and the expected rise in production from Williams, Armstrong has become a forgotten man in Big D.
1. Michael Gallup, WR
Not too long ago, Michael Gallup was one of the hottest names at the wide receiver position. In 2019, he had 66 receptions for 1,107 yards and six touchdowns while missing two games. The expectation was that he would put up even more impressive numbers the following season, provided he stay healthy.
While he did play in all 16 games during the 2020 campaign, Dak Prescott did not. That was a blow for Gallup, who had just 843 yards and five touchdowns.
Now heading into 2023, numbers such as those would be a welcome sight.
Gallup has been struggling to stay on the field as knee injuries forced him out of eight games in 2021. He then tore his ACL late in the year when he was finally healthy enough to play.
He returned from the surgery but was visibly slowed down. Gallup didn't look like himself throughout the year and had just 39 receptions for 424 yards and four touchdowns.
So far in offseason workouts, the coaching staff is encouraged by his progress. However, they're also no longer expecting him to be the No. 2 wideout since Brandin Cooks was brought in from Houston.
That could prove to be a better role for Gallup but it's a decline from what was expected last year when he signed a five-year, $62.5 million extension.