Cowboys Starting Lineup Predicted After High-Energy Offseason
Cowboys Starting Lineup Predicted After High-Energy Offseason originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
FRISCO - All we've heard about from Dallas Cowboys minicamp is the energy.
Players are battling it out in locker room competitions. Coaches are hootin' and hollerin' as music blares on the practice field. Players - in full-roster attendance throughout the program - are going as hard as they can in workouts.
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This is winning over the minds of the Cowboys fans who were skeptical of Brian Schottenheimer's hiring and his "best culture in sports history" gimmick.
So far, he's holding up his end of that statement, but this football team still has a ways to go in winning over fans' hearts after last season's unfortunate 7-10 performance.
A lot of that progress has to be done on nature's timing in the rehab facility, but there are still questions around certain positions, too.
We've scribbled a lot of notes from OTAs and minicamp at The Star, so now that we've hit the dead period that leads us up to training camp in Oxnard...
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What would the Cowboys starting lineup look like if the season started today?
Let's dive in.
Quarterback
Dak Prescott
The NFL's highest-paid player has spoken about legacy a lot this week.
Off the field, he's perhaps the most stand-up citizen you'll find, but NFL fans - certainly spoiled Cowboys loyalists - don't stamp "legacy" status on charitable efforts.
Dak could become one of the Cowboys' all-time leaders in many statistical categories, but he'll always have a cloud hanging over his tenure in Big D as long as his 2-5 playoff percentage stays put.
With Prescott healthy after his scary hamstring injury last year, he is as motivated as ever to earn his definition of greatness.
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Running Back
Javonte Williams
As things stand today it's a toss up with Miles Sanders, who is slightly-older and slightly-less productive at his peak than the well-rounded Williams. We may not know the true RB1 until a few games into the season if we are still left wondering post-camp.
Rookie Jaydon Blue from Texas, with his blazing 4.30 speed, will want to throw his name in the hat, but he's a fifth-round pick that needs to earn his stripes first.
Wide Receiver
CeeDee Lamb
George Pickens
Jalen Tolbert
The top two have all the makings of duo as pristine as a Scorsese film ... but they'll still need to manage their egos through thick and thin, and only real games can prove that commitment.
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The real discussion is at WR3. Tolbert has held this position in Dallas before, giving him the edge at the moment. With Mingo, Turpin, and others also in the mix, this training camp group will be fun to watch. And not just because of CeeDee and GP's cool handshakes.
Tight End
Jake Ferguson
It is "Big Biscuit's" job until he loses it.
Ferguson had a rough season in 2024, but a head injury and a backup QB played a part in that. He's poised to see a fresh start this season and return to his Pro Bowl ways ... but if he doesn't...
Brevyn Spann-Ford may be lurking...
Offensive Line
LT: Tyler Guyton
LG: Tyler Smith
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C: Cooper Beebe
RG: Tyler Booker
RT: Terence Steele
Amid the other concerns and possible rotations the skill positions, Schotty and offensive coordinator Klayton Adams are hoping this unit holds together.
Guyton will draw the most eyes as he's due for the most improvement. Beebe and Steele are comfortable in their spots, and Smith is a budding star and All-Pro up for a massive new contract. He could be good enough to move to tackle if there is a need to shuffle. Schottenheimer and staff have already tinkered with this idea...
Defensive Line
EDGE: Micah Parsons
DT (3 tech): Osa Odighizuwa
DT: (1 tech): Mazi Smith
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EDGE: Dante Fowler Jr.
The two ends are each capable of high sack totals, but defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus could get creative on how he deploys them to complement one another throughout the season.
Like it or not ... Dallas still believes in Mazi. This is a "make it or break it" season for the third-year big man. Expect a lot of concerns with depth if Smith can't make that leap as a reliable mainstay next to Odighizuwa.
Linebackers
Kenneth Murray Jr.
Jack Sanborn
It's killing me not to find a starting spot for Marist Liufau, but know that he will see plenty of reps if 'Flus goes to a 4-3 now that the Cowboys don't have a true nickel cornerback.
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Either Murray or Sanborn are expected to be the green dot guy. As the defensive play-caller, it will be whoever the staff is confident in staying on the field the most. They each offer more experience than the second-year Liufau, so that's why they earn equal starting projection for now.
The return of DeMarvion Overshown will throw a wrench into this entire plan, but if that isn't until Thanksgiving, it's important to formulate something.
Defensive Backs
CB: Kaiir Elam
CB: Caelen Carson
NB: DaRon Bland
FS: Malik Hooker
SS: Donovan Wilson
Bland is the Cowboys' best cornerback with Trevon Diggs injured. Because he is the most reliable, he could be the leading candidate to fit in at that crucial nickel spot - his versatility and experience there offers a bit of confidence. Depending on their production, I wouldn't mind Bland staying there and Diggs taking over for youngster Carson on the boundary when he's back.
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The Cowboys have been singing the praises of Elam so far this offseason, so he seems to have a firm grasp on a starting spot, but he'll still need to prove Dallas' trade worthwhile.
As mentioned above, linebacker-whisperer Eberflus could load the box and deploy just Bland and Elam on the outside while Diggs is sidelined. Rangy defenders like Parsons, Liufau, Donovan Ezeiruaku, and others could cover the middle.
This is a lot of food for thought, but don't chew it all too fast.
Training camp in late July could easily change this lineup in a lot of ways.
But through it all, we're most expecting the energy to remain the same.
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Related: Cowboys Depth Chart Taking Shape In Major Update Ahead of Training Camp
Related: ESPN Wonders If The Real Dak Will Please Stand Up for Cowboys
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
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