FRISCO, Texas – Back on Aug. 16 during training camp in Oxnard, Calif., here is the headline on my column that day.
"Calling On The Youth To Step Right Up."
Could see where this was going back then, the Cowboys needing to rely on young players – 2024 draft choices and guys in their second years who might not have played a bunch in 2023 or at all. Maybe even third-year players on the verge of needing to flourish.
As we knew, the Cowboys in the offseason had been hamstrung in free agency. Salary-cap funds were scarce if they were going to have enough money to extend CeeDee lamb; if they were going to extend Dak Prescott; if they were going to plan ahead when needing to extend Micah Parsons. On and on.
Just couldn't afford to keep most of their own, including the likes of center Tyler Biadasz, defensive ends Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler, and running back Tony Pollard, just to name a few. They couldn't afford to splurge on, say, a Derrick Henry.
That left Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy knowing that if this team going 12-5 in 2023, winning the NFC East for the second time in three years, though, losing in that first round playoff game, was going to improve in 2024, "the biggest improvement would have to come from within."
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and COO Stephen Jones knew they needed to lean on the draft, the likes of for sure their first four picks: Tyler Guyton, Marshawn Kneeland, Cooper Beebe and Marist Liufau, along with a second-year player who missed all of last season after tearing his ACL in training camp, DeMarvion Overshown.
You have heard Stephen say, "You've got the young guys who have played a lot around here."
Or Jerry having said, "I like any opportunity we have to play young players," knowing developing youth is the most opportune way to preserve salary cap funds when having to pay star veterans. He then went on to say, "You're continuing wanting to see these guys get on the field. That's just a part of the process and part of building a solid team."
Well, hear! Hear! After five games this 2024 season, the Cowboys are 3-2, a game out of first place in the NFC East with an entire college football season left to play and those 3-1 ambitious Detroit Lions coming into AT&T Stadium on Sunday. They've turned into the poster boys for playing the young. Almost to the point of excessively, part out of merit, part out of injury-caused necessity.
Sure enough, rephrasing that Olympic closing ceremony mantra back nearly two months ago applies here: "We call on the youth of this team to assemble."
The Cowboys certainly are assembling.
By my count, the Cowboys already have started these rookies: Guyton, Beebe, Kneeland, Liufau, Caelen Carson and might as well be a rookie since missing all of last season, Overshown. That's five. They have started these second-year players: Mazi Smith, Hunter Luepke, Brandon Aubrey, Andrew Booth and Luke Schoonmaker. That's five more, and leaned on second-year players such as Jalen Brooks, Juanyeh Thomas, T.J. Bass and Tyrus Wheat, who has played enough to become "T-Wheat," and now Deuce Vaughn, Buddy Johnson, newcomer K.J. Henry and Brock Hoffman.
Whew, a slew of youth.
And if you will, how about these only third-year players? Like Tyler Smith, the Pro Bowl left guard who moved to left tackle against the Steelers when Guyton went down and who very well could start at left tackle again Sunday if Guyton isn't 100 percent; Jalen Tolbert, he of the game-winning touchdown grab with 20 seconds remaining in the 20-17 victory over Pittsburgh this past Sunday, and third on the team with 20 receptions and tied for the lead with two touchdown receptions; KaVontae Turpin, more than just a return guy, showing up with nine receptions and averaging 11.7 yards a catch; and now Damone Clark, having to start at middle linebacker against the Lions with apparently Eric Kendricks missing, along with veteran backup Nick Vigil.
And oh, almost forgot, Pro Bowl cornerback DaRon Bland, only in his third season, on the verge of coming off injured reserve after missing the first five games. He fully participated in practice all this week for the first time since going down with a fractured fifth metatarsal toward the end of training camp until missing on Friday and being listed as out, along with the rookie Carson (shoulder).
Then also we should account for newcomers or backups turning heads, such as the veteran Kendricks, who just might be the best free-agent signing in the league when considering his bang for the buck; now first-time starting running back Rico Dowdle; veteran defensive end Carl Lawson, who just might start Sunday after Kneeland went down with a knee injury; fourth-year rotation player Chauncey Golston, forced into a starting role at defensive end when both Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence went down with injuries; late addition veteran defensive tackles Carlos Watkins, Linval Joseph and Jordan Phillips (IR); veteran linebacker Vigil; and let's not forget practice squad cornerback Amani Oruwariye forced into a starting role this past Sunday and the starter against Detroit with Bland and Carson listed as "out" on Friday's injury report.
Then there waiting in the wings on the practice squad still is veteran running back Dalvin Cook.
And seriously, we should also count old newcomer Ezekiel Elliott returning, Jerry Jones saying the club is biding its time with Zeke to make sure he remains fresh down the stretch, also clarifying the term Zeke is "dumbfounded" over his lack of use the past two games as a gross "mischaracterization."
So, come on, you feel me? That's a lot. A lot of youth and newcomers to not only rely on but also to incorporate into the offense, defense and special teams. This is not last year's team returning. These aforementioned players are like more than half the 53-man roster, and a bunch of them now considered first-time NFL starters, such as Dowdle, Tolbert, Guyton, Beebe, The Maz, Golston, Overshown, Liufau and Carson.
Nevertheless, these are your Dallas Cowboys, for sure a work in progress this first semester of the season. Think of your first semester in college when your head was swimming. At least mine was.
Listen to Dak, please.
"Yeah, I mean, you need guys like that, young guys, guys that necessarily aren't your [No.] 1 or your [No.] 2, making those plays. Because whether it be injury that we're dealing with or whether it just be that third guy or fourth guy needing to make big time catches, you're going to need everybody on this team, and not just Tolbert, but guys on the offensive line," Dak preached. "I mean, T.J. Bass coming in and filling in at guard as Tyler Smith goes out [to left tackle], what Brock Hoffman did coming in at right guard at one point
(Zack Martin cramping vs. Pittsburgh), to all the different changes on defense as well, these guys are being able to step up into these roles.
"I'm thinking Eric Kendrick said it best in a meeting last week; that's how the NFL's made. That's how I got my job; guys coming in and stepping into roles. You've just got to have that belief in yourself, trust your teammates and just go play this game. It's awesome to see these young guys getting their opportunity, and as importantly, making the most of it."
Look, not making excuses for the Cowboys' slow start to the season, after three game sitting there but 1-2 following two stinging home losses. But it's been 2-0 since, and don't you dare be minimizing wins in the NFL, saying, oh that was just the Giants or oh, that was just the Steelers because those early doomsayers weren't saying that before those wins. These youngin's are growing.
"That's one of things Coach McCarthy talks about, needing everybody, over time," Overshown said. "Just came earlier than expected with all the young guys."
Now it's the Lions, and no one cares about how many young guys will be involved. It's just the Dallas Cowboys, right? Everyone is held responsible, no matter the age.
"Big test," as Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer said, the Cowboys of all things, after winning all three road games to start the season, searching for their first home victory this year. Get it, and 4-2 would look real good going into the bye. Lose, and look at least .500 with all this obvious newness few want to take into account. Cowboys are Cowboys.
"We got a chance, in my mind, to evolve and be there ready at the end with the qualifications to get in the playoffs and maybe go further than we've been going," insisted Jerry Jones, turning 82 on Sunday, and for sure looking for the best present an owner can receive … a win.
Well, with Lions and Niners and Falcons and Eagles and Texans and for now Commanders, too, all in a row, we're about to find out about those qualifications.
About to find out if this relatively young team can "evolve."
