The Dallas Cowboys have an established elite wide receiver whom they can throw the ball. CeeDee Lamb commanded a lot of attention and the Cowboys didn’t really have anyone step up alongside him. The Cowboys addressed their offense this offseason by making splash signings, changing coordinators, and switching schemes. It won’t all be up to Lamb anymore, so who can get involved in the offense this year?

EXPANDED ROLES

The Cowboys did have additions on the offensive side of the ball, but there is promise with certain players having expanded roles. Brevyn Spann-Ford could see himself as the next great tight end in Dallas. KaVontae Turpin could see an expanded role as a running back and a swiss army knife in the Cowboys’ offense with his speed. I wouldn’t be surprised if Deuce Vaughn’s connection with offensive line coach Conor Riley from Kansas State could keep Vaughn on the roster and with special packages.

Brian Schottenheimer also knows the players who were in the building last year. He’s familiar with them and likely has schemes in mind to best utilize their talents. This is an edge for some of the lower depth chart guys who he kept on the roster after the Mike McCarthy era.

5 — TRAESHON HOLDEN

Holden is a name that didn’t get much attention coming out of college, but should be on the radar of the Cowboys. Holden was buried in the depth chart behind the deep receiver class at Alabama before transferring to Oregon for his final two years in college. In two years at Oregon, he had 1,170 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 82 receptions. Holden was an honorable mention for the All-Big Ten Conference this past season. Holden’s way onto the field will be very unconventional.

As an undrafted free agent, Holden will have to earn his right onto the 53-man roster. Those bubble guys have to do the extra work, like special teams and for receivers, run blocking is a plus. Holden excels at blocking for the run game, and with Schottenheimer’s emphasis on running the ball to open the play-action game, Holden will be perfect in packages to block for the lead back, while being a threat with his 6’3″ frame to catch the ball.

4 — PHIL MAFAH

There are a lot of questions regarding the running back room for the Cowboys. They’ll either go for a running back by committee approach or they’re going to wait and see who emerges from this room. Mafah is unlikely to win the starting job outright, but he gives the Cowboys something different on their roster.

Mafah is 6’0″ and 234 pounds. He’s likely drafted higher than the 7th round if it wasn’t for his shoulder injury in college last year. With Hunter Luepke on the bubble as a Mike McCarthy guy, Mafah can step in and be the red-zone throat to pound the ball into the endzone, something the Cowboys never utilized Ezekiel Elliott for last year.

With the other running backs being smaller, Mafah sets himself apart with his frame.

3 — JAVONTE WILLIAMS

As of now, Williams is penciled in as the starting running back. Javonte Williams never eclipsed 1,000 yards as a runner in the four years as a Denver Bronco. As a 2nd-round pick in 2021, Williams has been quite underwhelming and the Broncos decided to part ways. Now he comes to Dallas for a fresh start in year 5 of his pro career.

While Williams may be superseded in the lineup, the coaching staff is high on Javonte Williams as of now. As long as he is at the top of the depth chart, he will have one of the better chances to succeed.

2 — JAYDON BLUE

If Williams loses his starting job, it will be because of rookie Jaydon Blue. The rookie Blue is already one of the fastest guys in the NFL. He’s got speed on him, running at 4.38 at the NFL Combine, but clocked in at 4.28 on his Pro Day. Being a home-run threat and having fresh legs makes Blue a viable threat on the offense. For Blue, he is the homegrown talent that the home crowd will root for and if he flashes in the preseason, it will be hard for Blue not to see the field.

Can you imagine Blue and Turpin on the field at the same time? Dallas fans should be excited about the potential of Blue.

1 — GEORGE PICKENS

The harsh reality of the George Pickens trade is that Pickens will likely be a one-year rental. The Cowboys acquired George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers in a trade to complement CeeDee Lamb. So for that one year, they will want to get the most out of George Pickens. Even if he’s only on the team for one year, the larger contract Pickens earns, the better compensatory pick the Cowboys will get in return.

Lamb and Pickens are good enough to be #1 receivers on any team in the NFL and they’ll be on the same team together. Pickens says they can’t double-team both of them, opening up opportunities for both receivers. A bold prediction would be that both players total 1,000 receiving yards this year and 10 touchdowns, but it’s very doable if healthy.

The Cowboys’ offense will look different than what Mike McCarthy had in the past. Emphasizing help for Lamb, speed, and running the football, Schottenheimer will let his offense take full effect this year and it’ll be on the backs of the new guys.