Before the Cowboys get to Oxnard, CA, the conversation around this team is already crowded. George Pickens has drawn plenty of attention, and that’s before training camp even starts. But in a roster full of storylines, a few players are getting buried under the noise.
That’s the nature of a busy offseason: some names dominate the discussion while others barely get a mention. For Dallas, there are at least four players who deserve more attention heading into camp.
Jalen Thompson is one of them. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement around Caleb Downs, but that shouldn’t erase what Thompson brings to the table.
Dallas now has Thompson, Downs and Malik Hooker in the same safety room, and that kind of depth opens the door for more coverage options. Thompson can handle two deep coverage, work down in the box and even slide into the slot in a pinch.
He has averaged 100 tackles per season over the last five years, yet he still doesn’t get nearly enough buzz. He looks like the kind of steady player who can matter a lot without making much noise.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling is in a similar spot on the offensive side. The receiver room is built around CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, and Pickens’ contract status keeps pulling focus.
Ryan Flournoy also flashed last season with multiple 100-yard games, which has made a breakout feel close. Then there’s the buzz around Anthony Smith and Denzel Mims, with Smith viewed as a speedy big target with upside and Mims carrying a possible career-resurgence angle.
All of that leaves Valdes-Scantling easy to overlook. He has won two championships with the Kansas City Chiefs, has built a solid career as a complementary receiver and brings real deep-threat ability.
His career average of 16.8 yards per reception and average depth of target of 15.7 yards beyond the line of scrimmage tell you exactly what kind of weapon he is. He still has to make the roster, but he could end up being one of the surprises people didn’t see coming.
Nick Leverett has also slipped into the background, though his role matters more than it might seem. Backup center has become a spot to watch after Matt Hennessy, who was initially brought in as a strong reserve behind Cooper Beebe, landed on season-ending injured reserve with a neck injury.
That pushed Leverett into the mix as Beebe’s backup, with T.J. Bass also expected to compete for time.
Leverett should see plenty of preseason work, and how he handles it could determine whether he simply sticks on the roster or locks down the No. 2 job behind Beebe. Dallas would love for him to stabilize that spot, which would allow Bass to remain available for either guard position if needed.
Then there’s Shemar James, a name that has faded some because so much of the focus has shifted to what the new-look defense might become. James played a lot as a rookie and posted decent numbers, but the bigger takeaway was that he was asked to do a lot and looked overwhelmed at times.
He was one of the youngest players in the draft, only 20 when the Cowboys selected him, and the adjustment to a full NFL workload showed up in his play. Still, there’s reason to think he can take a big step under Christian Parker.
Part of why he’s been pushed aside in the conversation is the expectation surrounding DeMarvion Overshown and the addition of Dee Winters by trade during the draft. Even so, James has speed to work laterally, closing burst when coming downhill and some first-team reps this offseason already.
That keeps him very much in the picture for a meaningful role.
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