Dallas Cowboys training camp is about to put three key roster questions under the microscope, and none of them are small ones.
The first one starts up front on defense: does Dallas have enough juice off the edge? The Cowboys made a real push to reshape their pass rush this offseason, first by missing out on Maxx Crosby and then by landing Rashan Gary from the Green Bay Packers for a 2027 4th-round pick.
Gary had been floated as a possible cut candidate if a trade couldn’t get done, and Dallas ended up working through a bidding war with itself to make the deal happen. His recent production has been a mixed bag since signing a big extension in 2023, but he has still managed to post solid sack and pressure numbers even without consistently generating quick wins.
The Cowboys also got him to rework his deal, which made the contract much more team-friendly over the next two seasons.
They weren’t done there. Dallas used its second first-round pick on Central Florida pass rusher Malachi Lawrence, one of the draft’s better pure traits bets at the position.
He still needs development before he can be counted on as a three-down starter right away, but he should have a clear role early as a pass-rush specialist. Add in Donovan Ezeiruaku, who is now being counted on for a second-year jump after a rookie season that ended with just two sacks, and the picture gets a little clearer - though not fully settled.
James Houston also surprised last season, but he fits more as a specialist than a full-time answer. The Cowboys have plenty of bodies in the room.
What they still need is a true headliner.
The other major camp battle sits at left tackle, where Tyler Guyton is the name to watch. The safest expectation is that Guyton opens the season as the starter against the New York Giants, but the real issue is whether he can hold the job all year.
He showed growth last season before injuries interrupted things, and that injury history is part of the concern now. If he stays on the field, the Cowboys believe he can be serviceable at the spot.
That’s the catch, though: staying healthy has been the challenge through his first two NFL seasons. Behind him, Nathan Thomas and rookie fifth-round pick Drew Shelton are the other players in the mix.
Thomas is likely to get the first shot with the first team, but Shelton could become a factor later in camp if Guyton or Thomas fail to seize the opportunity.
Then there’s the backfield, where the Cowboys have to sort out whether their RB2 is already on the roster - and what happens if Javonte Williams misses time. If Williams is healthy for most of the 2026 season, Dallas can point to Jaydon Blue, Phil Mafah, or Malik Davis as the backup option, with the exact order still to be determined.
But the bigger issue is contingency planning. If Williams goes down, who can handle the workload as the team’s lead runner while also pass protecting and catching the ball out of the backfield?
Blue looks like the most natural fit for the No. 2 role. His burst and receiving ability make him the most intriguing option in year two.
The concern is pass protection, which remains a critical job for any running back climbing the depth chart. Williams proved that point in 2025, when he had a tremendous season and earned a nice payday in the offseason.
One of his most underrated traits was how well he handled pass protection. That’s part of why Dallas could still look to add a veteran during or after camp as insurance in case Williams has to miss time.
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