Early Cowboys 53-man roster prediction following 2024 NFL Draft
By Randy Gurzi
Wide Receiver (5)
CeeDee Lamb
Brandin Cooks
Jalen Tolbert
KaVontae Turpin
Ryan Flournoy
Another contract negotiation that needs to be handled involves CeeDee Lamb. Dallas is dragging their feet on this one (not shocking) and that’s allowed the Eagles to set the market with a mammoth extension for A.J. Brown.
Lamb will continue to excel and they expect more from Brandin Cooks with Michael Gallup gone. Jalen Tolbert and KaVontae Turpin will split time as the WR3. Rookie Ryan Flourney edges out Jalen Brooks for the final spot, but if they go thin elsewhere to keep six, Brooks will be the most likely option.
Tight End (4)
Jake Ferguson
Luke Schoonmaker
Peyton Hendershot
Brevyn Spann-Ford
John Stephens, Jr. was the training camp star in 2023 before getting hurt. He’s going to have a chance to prove himself but it won’t be easy.
Jake Ferguson blew up in his first season as a starter and Luke Schoonmaker will stick around since he was a second-round pick. Undrafted free agent Brevyn Spann-Ford is kept due to his potential as a blocker, whereas the others are pass-catching specialists.
That means it comes down to Peyton Hendershot vs. Stephens. Hendershot is more productive and as of now, he’s the better option.
Offensive Line (10)
Tyler Guyton, LT
Tyler Smith, LG
Cooper Beebe, C
Zack Martin, RG
Terence Steele, RT
Chuma Edoga, OT
T.J. Bass, G
Brock Hoffman, C
Asim Richards, OL
Nathan Thomas, OL
The offensive line looks vastly improved with a full starting unit. Tyler Guyton won’t be Tyron Smith but he doesn’t need to be. If he can be a serviceable starter, who is durable, that’s a win. The same goes for Cooper Beebe, who is expected to try his hand at center.
The rest of the starting lineup remains the same but the backups are slightly different. Nathan Thomas pushed Matt Waletzko out the door as their late-round pick has the upside to develop into a solid depth piece.